Hurt Children Part I

Satan sits poised at the base of the birth canal waiting so he can devour the child as soon as it is brought forth (Revelation 12:4, Daniel 8:10). Since the first conception, the serpent-dragon has been purposing to destroy the unborn, newborn and the child.

15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her [a]Offspring; He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel. Genesis 3:15

The First Hurt Child
3And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.

4And Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat portions. And the Lord had respect and regard for Abel and for his offering,(A)

5But for [a]Cain and his offering He had no respect or regard. So Cain was exceedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed.

6And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected?

7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.

Cain did not humble himself and master the sin but accepted the spirit of rejection. Because of Cain’s supposed rejection, he slew his brother. Read the conversation in Genesis 4:2-12-this is how a hurt child speaks- dripping contempt, denying, despising discipline. A hurt child murders. Satan executes his plan.

Cain audaciously demands of God, “My punishment is more than I can bear! Give me another one! Somebody is going to kill me!” (my paraphrase)

Guilt does not crush Cain, it angers him, spurring him on to demand a bargain with his Heavenly Father-Parent. Hurt children demand. After murdering your flowers with a machete, you mete out consequences with a shaky hand and a wounded soul.

“Rake the leaves away from the fire pit.”

“No mom, that is too big a job for me,” or “I’m not doing it, you can’t make me.”

Hurt children fight like a man beating the air, swinging aimlessly, packing a punch at whomever is in the vicinity at the time. Hurt children hurt others. They don’t buffet the body to win the race, they buffet-to contend in battle- those around them in order to SURVIVE. They wound deeply because they have DEEP WOUNDS. They treat objects as worthless because they were worthless in the eyes of _____________. They devalue because their life was devalued. Can you change their composition, their pre-suppositions, their worldview? Can worthless (in the mind’s eye) be changed into worthy? Can destruction be changed into creativity?

Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch.

“And Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God; and he was not for God took him [home with him].” Genesis 5:24 [Hebrews 5:24

Enoch, son of the first murderer did not taste death, but was carried straight to heaven because of his intimate walk with the Father. Redemption came from the ashes of destruction. Beauty for ashes. Cain turned from his rebellion after he had gone away from the presence of the Lord (Genesis 4:16)

Can you imagine the transformation in Cain’s wounded soul? He beholds his newborn son. Such pride and love well up inside him. A penitent heart births a new found zeal for life. He builds his son a city, block upon block, street intersecting street, open markets, people talking, gathering- life exists again! Enoch, beloved of his father in turn loves his heavenly Father. Enoch walks with Father-God, talks with Father-God. Cain, marked by God so the pattern of destruction will not continue, experiences redemption and restoration through his son.

Watch for Part II on Wednesday!