When our niece was a toddler, we thought she might enjoy a high school girls basketball game. She probably didn’t get as much out of it as I thought she would. I discovered this on the ride home, when she asked, “Why was that man (the referee) chasing those girls?”

She didn’t understand that the referee wasn’t a threat to the welfare of the players. Quite to the contrary, the purpose of the referee is to make sure that the game is played by the rules and to try to keep the players safe from harm.

Some people have an immature picture of God in their minds. They think that his only purpose is to punish people. But to those who follow him, he says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

That’s a much better perspective, don’t you agree?