Disclaimer
I’d like to start this post with a story, but it comes with small graphic content warning. I’m sorry in advance. It will be hard to read but please bear with me, I feel it’s necessary for the rest of today’s post.
Based on Real Events
There was a man, let’s call him Larry. Like many men in this world, Larry was a husband and a father. And like many men in this world, Larry had some problems. He would get overwhelmed and frustrated by things.
Larry and his wife had three beautiful kids. They were young, none old enough to even attend school yet. For all intents and purposes, everyone thought Larry’s family was a great example of what a family should be.
Nobody knew that Larry had some problems. He had learned to hide it well, but he struggled with depression, anger, and dark thoughts. He sometimes thought about just packing up and leaving or even ending it all. His doctor had prescribed him a variety of medications to help balance his mood, but those dark thoughts persisted.
One day, while his wife was out grocery shopping, Larry’s children were being children. They were a little loud and asked a few random nonsensical kids’ questions. But today, this was too much for Larry. Something snapped in him.
He used a phone tracking app to make sure his wife was still at the store. Then he got up; instinctively flexing his fingers and hands. “Yes” he thought, “my strong hands.” He curled his fingers into fists and went to the room in which his children were playing.
“I know the problem,” he said to himself. “it’s not me, it’s them.” When he saw his children, his beautiful, sweet, innocent children, you’d think his hard heart would soften and melt. But that bitterness had taken hold, and Larry made a grim determination.
He looked at his oldest, a sweet little girl who would start school in a few months. She looked up at him lovingly and expectantly. But she didn’t see that love reflected in the face of her father. Instead, she saw his fist flying toward her. She didn’t even have time to flinch before his blow knocked her off her little feet.
Sprawled out on the floor, stars swimming before her eyes, she was barely aware of the massive weight settling on her tiny frame. She vaguely saw another fist for the briefest moment before more pain. Then again and again, and her world went dark. Her final frail thought was, “Why Daddy? What did I do?”
Larry set about his evil task with a cold, detached sense of purpose. He didn’t see his daughter anymore. All he saw was a problem ruining his life; stealing his joy. And by God he was taking care of his problems! His daughter’s body lay at his feet, slowly growing cold. Now to take care of his other problems.
His son was in this room a second ago; “Where did that problem get to?” Larry turned and left his daughter’s room. He heard the footsteps of a small defenseless boy running, terrified down the hallway and a door slam shut. Larry went charging in that direction, his fists clenched tightly.
He opened the door his son had closed in the vain hope of some protection from the maniac that was once his father. His son, who had watched the light in his sister’s eyes fade; knowing somehow, he was next. His son, whose only thoughts at this point were “run and hide.” But Larry wasn’t going to let this problem get away.
The room was empty, but Larry could hear shaky panicked breathing coming from the closet. He wrenched the door open and was greeted by a scream. Oh, that noise, how it grated on his ears. The child was only three. He could barely form full sentences, but he managed to beg and plead in his own way.
“No Daddy, please no!”
But Larry was a daddy no more. He had become something else altogether. He would later say that he didn’t know what he was doing and that he would give anything to undo his actions, and he even believed it to a certain extent. But in this moment, he wasn’t daddy, he was Larry, problem solver. He was even comforted by the idea that he would never be called daddy again.
He grabbed the boy cowering in the closet and threw him to the ground. Then, for a second time, he let his fists fly. It didn’t take long. A few seconds maybe. A minute or two at most. The monster that was once Larry didn’t know for certain. All he knew was that time was passing. Every minute was that much closer to his wife getting back, and there was one more problem to take care of while he still had precious time.
The murderer could hear the screams of that last problem coming from the nursery. Less than a year old, the youngest child had been woken from his nap by the sounds of violence perpetrated at the hands of a monstrous beast. Those hands, red and raw with dark bruises forming on the knuckles, pushed the door of the nursery open.
The wails of this last problem grew louder and stabbed at Larry like a knife in the brain, “Must silence,” was the only thought passing through his mind around those sharp, stabbing cries.
One blow. Then two. A third final terrible sickening fist and the room was silent…
The Real Events It’s Based On
I’m sorry to put you through that. As difficult as it may have been to read, it was far harder to write. To put myself in the mindset of a disgusting monster willing to kill his own children literally made me feel ill. And yet, in America over the last few months we’ve had many who not only connected with the mind of such a person, but they’ve also found sympathy for her.
I’m speaking, of course, of the Lindsay Clancy trial. A mother who strangled her sweet, innocent children with a cold, sadistic, brutality. She confessed to doing it, giving the police a full, detailed description of the events. Admittedly she suffered from post-partum depression and was prescribed a myriad of drugs.
Excuses That Dismiss the Strength of Others
To that I say, “So what.” I’m not trying to belittle post-partum depression and mental battles. I really do understand its seriousness. I have known women who’ve suffered and struggled through post-partum depression and anxiety. And I know more who’re currently struggling with other forms of depression and anxieties. The fact that they’ve shared their struggles is a gift and responsibility I don’t take lightly. And if you’d like to discuss the evils of “Big Pharma” and the dangers of our pharmaceutical drug dependency culture, I’m all ears. I think we’d find common ground on quite a bit. But I cannot find common ground on Lindsay Clancy.
There are millions of women suffering with post-partum issues in various forms. Millions more suffering from other forms of depression, anxiety, and mental anguish. There are tens of millions of women on a variety of medications. And they haven’t committed the evils that this woman did. It’s a slap to the face of all the women who have had the strength and courage to put their children’s well-being above their own. What’s more, this is a slap to the face of anyone who has lost a child or who is unable to have children. Psalm 113 describes motherhood as a cause for rejoicing, transforming barrenness into joy.
By giving Lindsay Clancy a pass, we as a society are belittling and even ridiculing the everyday struggles of women all across the world. We’re telling these mothers that their strength, courage, love, and devotion mean nothing. We’re saying one woman’s delusions are of more value than the lives of three precious children. And that is EVIL!
What Children Mean to God
The Bible consistently portrays children as a precious gift from God, with deep spiritual, familial, and communal value. Psalm 127 says children are “a heritage from the LORD” and “the fruit of the womb” are His reward. Psalm 103:17 says that “the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.” And Proverbs 23:24 reminds us that “The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.”
Children are also a family and generational blessing. Sons flourish like olive shoots around the table, and this arrangement brings blessing to those who fear the LORD (Psalm 128:3–4). Grandchildren crown the aged, representing the glory of successive generations (Proverbs 17:6). Jacob describes his children as those God has “graciously given” (Genesis 33:5), while Joseph likewise gives God credit as the source of his sons (Genesis 48:9). Leah’s naming of her children fully acknowledges God’s direct action, with each son representing divine recognition of her affliction or reward (Genesis 29:31–35; 30:17–20).
Jesus broadened the blessing of children from physical and familial to spiritual. He responded with indignation when the disciples rebuked those bringing children, declaring that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Mark 10:13–16). He taught that entering God’s kingdom requires becoming like children, and whoever humbles himself like a child achieves greatness within the Kingdom (Matthew 18:1–5). Most remarkably, Jesus said that welcoming a child in His name means welcoming Jesus Himself and the One who sent Him (Mark 9:36–37)—elevating the act of receiving children to the spiritual act of receiving Christ.
If welcoming a child means welcoming Jesus and the One who sent Him, what does it mean when someone kills a child?
The Reverse
On the flipside, Scripture is very clear in its condemnation of harm against children, ranging from direct legal prohibition to visceral warnings about divine judgment.
Parents receive direct prohibition against mistreatment of children. Fathers are commanded—not suggested—to not provoke their children but to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). And parents were warned that provoking their children won’t just make them angry but will also make them lose heart by becoming discouraged and unmotivated (Colossians 3:21).
Jesus delivers severe condemnation through hyperbolic language about causing children to stumble spiritually. He declares it would be better for someone to have a large millstone (1000+ lbs./450+ kgs) hung around their neck and drowned in the depths of the sea than to cause one of these little ones who believe in Him to stumble (Matthew 18:6). Jesus also warned against looking down on children, noting that their angels in heaven always see the face of God the Father (Matthew 18:10), and God is unwilling that any of these little ones should perish (Matthew 18:14).
The most explicit condemnations target child sacrifice. God prohibits giving any children to be sacrificed to Molech, declaring this profanes His name (Leviticus 18:21). Any Israelite or foreigner giving children to Molech must be put to death and stoned, as this defiles God’s sanctuary and profanes His holy name (Leviticus 20:2–5). Scripture repeatedly expresses divine revulsion at this practice, with God declaring that child sacrifice was something He never commanded nor did it even enter His mind (Jeremiah 7:31).
What This Means
Put as plainly as possible, children have a special place in God’s heart, and anyone who harms a child or affirms such actions is inviting God’s wrath. I woke this morning to the news that the jury in the Clancy trial was split 11 to 1, with the majority declaring “not guilty.” Later, a mistrial was declared.
While I disagree, you can argue that Lindsay Clancy may deserve a life in an institution over a life in prison or the death penalty, but you cannot say that a woman who confessed to the crime and shows clear signs of full cognizance of her actions is anything but guilty. Those 11 jurors along with a significant portion of this country will have to answer to God for that evil. We as a nation will be held accountable for the justice we either gave or denied to the children.
Why This Matters
I’m sorry, I’ve gone on far longer than I’d intended but this is crucially important. Public reaction over the last few years to many events has shown that much of America is shifting in how it views evil, justifying and even embracing theft, violence, and yes, murder. However, in my opinion, the Lindsay Clancy trial represents a true tipping point in American ideals and culture. We’re at a point of willful and active hatred of all that is good, precious, and holy. A large portion of this nation’s population is actively declaring war on the throne of Heaven, God Himself, and all that He has commanded us to protect.
It’s horrific enough that we allow the senseless slaughter of over a million children in the womb each year for the sake of convenience. But for anyone to murder their children when they’ve walked with them, held them, taught them, heard them laugh, heard them cry, experienced their joys and sorrows, and then for other people to say it’s somehow justifiable for any reason is a level of evil I’ve never seen or even imagined before.
Taking a Stand Against Evil
I know this post has been long and different. I’m almost finished, I promise but I’d like to point out that I wrote that opening narrative from the perspective of a man “losing it” and becoming a monster. Genuinely think about that story. Did you find yourself connecting with the monster hunting his kids or did you find yourself appalled by his actions and hoping for justice for the innocents’ lives? Now I ask if you say justice for Lindsay or justice for her children, Cora (5 years old), Dawson (3 years old), and Callan (8 months old)? If it’s the former, why? Besides gender, what’s the difference between my story and real life?
If you find yourself trying to justify what that woman did, maybe you haven’t truly understood God’s holiness or our sinfulness. Maybe you don’t realize that God’s standards are true, valid, and absolutely not up for debate. Or maybe you have a heart problem, and you represent a willful turning from God. If you think you’re a Christian while you’re justifying this evil, then I implore you to think again. Can you call yourself a Christian and stand for the things God hates? In standing for evil, you’re making the choice to oppose God, and you stand in evil’s camp.
A Noble Calling
As Christians, God is calling us to: 1) stand for righteousness, refusing to justify evil or to call it good; 2) refuse to compromise with evil or those who celebrate it; 3) to share the Gospel of Christ with those who are still walking in darkness, telling them that God is offering them the opportunity to take from them their hearts of stone and give them a heart of flesh, making them a new creation.
Understand that God is perfect and holy. Our sin and rebellion are not just offensive to Him, it’s an act of war against Him and through our actions, we have chosen condemnation, death, and eternal separation from Him. But God took our penalty on Himself so that if you repent, proclaim that Jesus is Lord, and believe in Him, His sacrifice, and His resurrection, you are saved and free from the deserved penalties of your sin and rebellion.
One last thing then I’ll be finished. Please, think about these things. Do you stand with God or against Him? As for me, I refuse to even try and find common ground with evil or its followers.
Final Question: What were your thoughts on the trial, its outcome, and the immense public support for Lindsay Clancy? Do you agree with me, disagree, or find yourself somewhere in between?
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20
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