Why Doesn’t God Care About the Starving Children in the World?

We live in a world where the young, the weak and the innocent suffer the harsh realities of living in a cruel, sadistic and unforgiving world.
Action Against Hunger states that as of 2024 there is more than enough food produced in the world to feed everyone on the planet. Yet more than 700 million people still go hungry.

One of the many questions people ask is: If God exists, why doesn’t He care for the starving children in Africa or other parts of the world? Why does God allow innocent children to die from starvation? Why doesn’t God intervene in a humanitarian crisis where children are dying from starvation?
So is God really to blame for all the starving children in the world? Is God to blame for all the suffering in the world?

Interesting Facts About The Causes of Hunger

Some pertinent discoveries according to the World Food Program USA reveal the following about food and hunger

• “Global hunger isn’t about a lack of food. Right now, the world produces enough food to nourish every child, woman and man on the planet. But nearly one-third of all food produced each year is squandered or spoiled before it can be consumed.”
• Rich Countries Waste as Much Food as Sub-Saharan Africa Produces. According to the U.N. Environment Programme, industrialized countries in North America, Europe and Asia collectively waste 222 million tons of food each year.
• Consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa each year
• War and conflict pushes millions of innocent people into alarming levels of hunger. Conflict forces families from their homes, destroys economies, ruins infrastructure and makes food nearly impossible to find or afford.

According to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, here are some interesting facts regarding hunger & food wastage:

• “In 2022, the world wasted 1.05 billion tonnes of food. This amounts to one fifth (19 per cent) of food available to consumers being wasted, at the retail, food service, and household level…”

• “Most of the world’s food waste comes from households. Out of the total food wasted in 2022, households were responsible for 631 million tonnes equivalent to 60 percent, the food service sector for 290 and the retail sector for 131.”

So the problem is not a shortage of food – but the real problems are access and distribution of the food. Other pertinent reasons for hunger and food shortages in the world are human greed, corruption, war, mismanagement of resources, conflicts and food wastage.
Otherwise many Non-Governmental Organizations and Charity / Relief Organizations agree that there is more than enough food on earth to feed the entire human population.

So the problem is not God – but it is people. The sin of man is the reason for why we have suffering in the world. Our sins have consequences.
For example, war conflicts between nations have ripple effects on the world economy, the food markets and the food chain. Furthermore, man’s selfishness, greed and corruption can directly & indirectly affect millions of people in the world and cause unnecessary poverty.
Therefore human sin has visible and invisible effects on many of the humanitarian problems that we face today – including hunger.

Romans 3:23 says: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins

Therefore, rather than yielding to our sin nature / the works of the flesh, we should be governed by the fruit of the Spirit such as love, kindness, goodness and humility.
An attitude of godliness through displaying love and kindness towards one another leads to less suffering and injustice in the world.

How Does God Care For Starving Children?

God cares for starving children through individuals, organizations and ministries that take the time to help the hungry. For example, this help might be through soup kitchens, food donations, or any act of kindness which helps to alleviate people’s hunger.
God uses people who are willing to demonstrate His love and kindness. God uses people who are willing to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
God will use anyone from anywhere who is willing to selflessly love and help others.

Isaiah 58:10 says: Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

In Matthew 25:35-40 Jesus says: “For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me,  36  I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’  37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You?  39 And when did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’  40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”

God’s View & Love of Children

The Bible reveals that God loves children and that He has a special love and care for the young. It does not amuse Him to witness children being harmed or abused.

Mark 10:13-16 says: People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them.

In Matthew 18:5-6 Jesus says: “Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me,  6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

In Matthew 18:10 Jesus says: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.”

Conclusion

Whether you’re a Christian or not, it is never a good thing to witness evil and suffering in the world. However it’s important to note that God is not the problem. Instead it is man’s sinful nature that is the cause of all that we see in the world. This sinful nature began with Adam when he disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. The sin of Adam had ripple effects on the entire earth and the whole of humanity.

Romans 5:12 says: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

The answer to all the problems and sin in the world is Jesus Christ who gave His life to pay for the sins of this world (John 3:16). It is only through Christ that we can have a new heart that desires to serve God and to demonstrate the loving nature and character of God.

Ultimately God will one day totally end all the suffering in this world. However, as long as we have life on this fallen world, our duty is love God and love others if we are to minimize the suffering that is experienced in this world.