‘YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE WHOLE PICTURE’

When I saw the little boy playing with his mom, I remembered. The news from Singapore had sent shockwaves across the family - bringing a break in the daily routine. A relative had passed away. This is not uncommon in a big family, so what’s so shocking about this? She was only 29 years old. She had died of a fever caused by a rare virus which had contracted her heart, giving the doctors no time. It took away her life in minutes leaving a 6 year old girl and her 12 months old baby sister, motherless.

Yes, motherless. ‘Lord it’s not fair.’ I argued silently as I watched the boy and his mom play. The boy was insisting that water be poured into his hand from his sipper. When his mother did that, he laughed, rubbed and clapped his hands in glee, spreading water all around him. When it was over, he held out his baby hands, all five fingers apart and with an impatient ‘mm’, he told her what to do. His mother was very patient with him. She poured a few more drops into his hands. This went on about 5-6 times. Then he pushed his orange truck towards his mom. ‘Mm’ ’mm’ he conveyed pointing at it and nodded insistently.

As I watched this, I was rather amused at first. Then my eyes filled with sudden tears when I remembered the 1 year old who had lost her mother. She needs her mama just as much as this little boy. ‘Lord, why?  There are so many old people whose lives could have gone. Why a mother?  That too, of a baby and her 6 year old sister! I had to shut my eyes as tears filled them. Ours was a big, loving family. Besides, for we knew, their father might remarry. But it won’t give them their mother back. Who except a loving mother would be patient enough to pour drops of water on your hands-6, 7, 8 times-for just this reason that it makes you happy?

During all this questioning, a still small voice seemed to be saying something. It always becomes clear when I begin to listen to it but if I don’t, it just fades away. ‘You haven’t seen the whole picture.’   It struck me at once. Who are we to question God? We haven’t seen the whole picture. Maybe the plan of God has for this world is like one big drawing. In a drawing of such great magnitude, just looking at a curved line and asking why it isn’t straight is senseless. Maybe if people understood this, they wouldn’t always want to know why.

I still don’t know why all this had to happen. I know one thing - till I see the whole picture, my job is to pray for them, do my best to help and stop asking why.

‘For  My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.’, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.  

Isaiah 55:8, 9