Religion

My wife and I pretty much split responsibility at home.

But when she goes to night school, I have the run of the house. I make the calls.

On such an occasion earlier this week, there was a crisis.

My 8-year-old came to me with a matter that needed to be addressed most urgently.

Apparently, Big Brother, who's 12, had thrown away a "perfectly good sheet" of notebook paper.

"It just had one little smudge on the back, and he threw it away," she said. "Don't you know trees are being cut down for this? He needs to put it back in his folder."

It didn't help that I wasn't overly concerned about her dilemma. It also didn't help that I told her how cute she is when she's mad.

I told her if she wanted to salvage the sheet of paper, she could keep it for herself.

"No. He needs to put it back in HIS folder," she said, frustrated.

I know that tone. It's usually followed by her marching off to her room and locking the door. This time was no different.

In the quiet of her room, I'm sure she questioned whether I cared about the perfectly good sheet of paper, whether I cared about the cut trees, and maybe even whether I cared about her.

After all, what kind of father doesn't address his child's most urgent needs?

Firstly, Daddy has a different definition for "most urgent need." The problem is that children and parents don't have the same priorities. Their understanding of what's important isn't the same as ours.

As father, my priority is to provide for my children and protect them from dangers much greater than sibling disagreements over crumpled paper. I need them to trust that I know what's best and that my priorities are in their ultimate best interest.

Just because I don't fix every little problem doesn't mean I'm not in control.

Besides, there are some things I expect them to work out on their own.

Sometimes we look around and, like children, question whether there's a loving, compassionate God, and, if there is, why doesn't he care about our most urgent needs.

Why do good people suffer? Why are innocent children born with diseases? Why is there so much death, mayhem and destruction in the world? Why doesn't he make it obvious which candidate he wants us to elect?

God has a greater concern for mankind than our physical and financial well-being.

His sovereignty doesn't depend on which man is elected president.

His intentions for America are higher than wealth redistribution or tax cuts for the rich.

His highest and primary desire is for us to trust that he knows what's best and that his priorities are in our ultimate best interest.

Just because he doesn't fix every little problem doesn't mean he's not in control.

And, yes, there are some things he expects us to work out on our own.