We read Matthew 2:7-21 this morning for our devotion. The passage describes Jesus’ birth and King Herod’s evil act of killing all males ages two and under. To my surprise, Matthew asked me why God didn’t kill Herod before Herod killed all the boys ages two and under. He is essentially asking the “why does God allow evil?” question that we often hear. I was surprised by his question because I had underestimated my five-year-old’s ability to consider and voice a difficult question that has puzzled people for many centuries.

So, how did I answer? I told him that God works all things together for the good of those who trust Him. The phrase “all things” includes both good and bad things, including Herod’s wicked act of killing all the boys. [Funny note: At this point, my three-year-old side tracked and started to talk about his uncle's film, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" because I had mentioned "all things" including "the good" and "the bad."] I proceeded to explain that even though Herod tried to thwart God’s plan by killing baby Jesus, God’s plan did not get thwarted. In fact, God remained in control and was still sovereign despite (and through) Herod’s wicked plan. Matthew expressed his indignation at Herod because he was so wicked as to want to kill Jesus even before He was a man. I affirmed his indignation and redirected him back to God who is still sovereign in all things. The God we trust and believe in is powerful and able. Even through all the evil and sad circumstances that have occurred (and will continue to occur) in history, God remains all powerful and we should rest in this truth and be comforted when we face trials.

I came away from this morning’s devotion encouraged because we strive to teach our children about God through our daily lives. My son’s insightful question – which also reveals his simple faith in the sovereignty and goodness of God — tells me that he is catching and understanding little by little all that we have taught him.