EVERYDAY ADVENTURES

Zoo Rescue

If you’re babysitting a toddler, a trip to the zoo is not a bad way to kill a morning. Strap them in a stroller, see the animals, grab some ice cream and call it a day. Easy peasy, right?

At least it would be unless you accidentally lock the child in your car. At that point, your day becomes not so easy. Unfortunately, that’s what happened to a poor babysitter I met one morning at the Indianapolis Zoo.

My wife and I didn’t have kids yet, so we were just out for a fun morning without a care in the world.

The woman we saw in the parking lot, however, was having a drastically different experience. She was standing outside her car, tapping on the back driver’s side window. The car was running, and the trunk was open.

The woman we saw in the parking lot, however, was having a drastically different experience. She was standing outside her car, tapping on the back driver’s side window. The car was running, and the trunk was open.

She said, “Honey. Can you push the button? Can you let me in?”

It was true I didn’t have children of my own at that time, but I thought that was probably not a good sign.

“Are you guys OK?” I asked.

“No,” she said. “I was getting the stroller out of the trunk, and I locked my keys in the car along with the girl I’m babysitting! I’ve tried every door and window. I don’t know what to do!”

I glanced in the back seat and saw an adorable curly-haired toddler munching on a hot dog. I thought I’d heard somewhere that hot dogs were a choking hazard unless you cut them into pieces, but I didn’t think now was the time to mention it.

I glanced in the back seat and saw an adorable curly-haired toddler munching on a hot dog. I thought I’d heard somewhere that hot dogs were a choking hazard unless you cut them into pieces, but I didn’t think now was the time to mention it.

The child in the back seemed fine. It was a cool morning, and the air conditioner was running, so apart from the hot dog, she looked like she was in no immediate danger. Except for the fact she was locked in a car and not even strapped in her car seat.

As you can imagine, the babysitter was nearing full-on panic mode. It’s bad enough to accidentally lock your own kid in a car, but when you do it with other people’s children, you don’t tend to get a lot of babysitting referrals.

“What am I going to do?” she said.

“Have you tried going in through the trunk?” I asked.

“You can do that?”

The next thing I knew I was crawling through this lady’s trunk and wiggling through the hatch into the backseat. When the little girl saw me pop my head in, she laughed at me and waved her hot dog in my face. I appreciated the offer, but I still had work to do.

The next thing I knew I was crawling through this lady’s trunk and wiggling through the hatch into the backseat. When the little girl saw me pop my head in, she laughed at me and waved her hot dog in my face. I appreciated the offer, but I still had work to do.

Once inside I unlocked the door, and the babysitter let out a huge sigh of relief. She swooped in, snatched the little girl out of the back seat and gave her a big hug.

Afterward, she thanked me over and over again. I appreciated it, but honestly, I didn’t do that much. If she hadn’t been freaking out, the babysitter might have even noticed the trunk access on her own. But it’s hard to think when you’re in the midst of a crisis. It’s in situations like that you need another set of eyes.

In fact, that’s a good idea even on a normal day. It’s tough to see our lives with all its ups and downs objectively. That’s why we need not just an outside perspective but a heavenly perspective.

Anyone can give us their opinion on how to handle our problems, but they may have the same blind spots we do. God, however, sees it all. He sees the good and the bad and loves us just as much on our worst days as on our best.

He also sees the way through every challenge we face. That doesn’t mean he makes our problems magically go away, but he will help us navigate them and give us strength to endure. And sometimes God shows up in unexpected ways and unlocks doors that once seemed impossible to open.

He also sees the way through every challenge we face. That doesn’t mean he makes our problems magically go away, but he will help us navigate them and give us strength to endure. And sometimes God shows up in unexpected ways and unlocks doors that once seemed impossible to open.

First, though, we have to invite him into the problem and ask for help to see things from his point of view.

Jesus’ half-brother James said it best when he wrote these words: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5 NIV).

You might find that wisdom today by reading the Bible or talking to a godly friend. You may also just need to pray and give it some time. Whatever the case, invite God into the situation. You may feel stuck, but you never know what doors he may open when you open your heart to him.•