It is almost every day that we are reading headlines that sadly reflect harm inflicted upon the innocent, our children. These are just a few from a vast pool:
“Six-year-old Faye Swetlik found dead after disappearing from front yard in Cayce, S.C.”
“2 missing girls, mom found dead after Amber Alert”
“Darlington police search for man accused of sexually assaulting child under 11 years old”
“Corrections officer charged with domestic violence, child abuse”
“Kidnapped from her 3rd birthday party and killed, ‘Cupcake’ McKinney laid to rest in Birmingham”
Evilness is preying on the innocent daily, and it has got to stop. Why would anyone want to harm an innocent child? This violence upon children is so heartbreaking and was never intended to happen, according to the Word. God gave us, as adults, responsibility for our own children and others when He said, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it,” (Proverbs 22:6 KJV). He never said to take advantage of or abuse children just because you are the adult or that you have the upper hand. To do this is not love; it is evil and sick.
Can you imagine what these families go through, both emotionally and physically, when such evil “knocks at their door”? God speaks about the innocence of children in the word when He said, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea,” (Matthew 18:6 ESV).
Further, look at how Jesus protested, concerning children, when the crowds gathered around Him in the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan: “And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them,” (Mark 10:13-16 ESV).
Jesus became angry at His disciples for mistreating these innocent children. These words speak volumes about how we are to treat and care for children from a Biblical standpoint.
There are some totally depraved and mentally ill people in this world who do not know Jesus in the pardoning of their sins. Further, they need help.
Knowing this, we must keep a very vigilant eye over our children. We have to be that “vigilant village” because parents, grandparents and other caregivers cannot always see everything with the children of whom they have been entrusted. Children are innocent and should never be left unattended because things can happen “within the blink of an eye.”
Presently, South Carolina, along with the rest of our nation, is in mourning again for the loss of innocence with the untimely death of a sweet, precious angel, six-year-old Faye Marie Swetlik. Her bright, beautiful eyes could steal anyone’s heart. Please keep her family, school, friends, and the community in your thoughts and prayers. The staff at her school has quite a task on their hands, trying to comfort and explain to the other precious ones why their schoolmate will never return to them.
Even though as Christians we know that death is inevitable, I have always been told that none compares to the death of a child, especially in a manner such as this. My heart goes out to the family of my dear friends, John and Robin Barnes, because they have a granddaughter who attends Faye’s school.
I conclude with this prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your love and mercy that you so faithfully grant us each day. You are such a mighty God, even in the midst of our trials and burdens.
Father God, we are losing children daily to evil acts upon this land. Though it is so painful to bear, you said in your word, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it,” (I Corinthians 10:13 KJV).
