Why do sharks eat people?
Answer: Sharks attack people because they are meat- eaters. When they are hungry, they will attack anything that looks good to eat. Sharks don’t go looking for people to attack – they just react to what comes near them.
The best thing to do is to be smart and stay away from sharks. When we go where we shouldn’t go, we get into trouble-like walking in poison ivy or playing in a thunderstorm. There are dangers in the world, and we should be careful to avoid them.
Key verses: For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. (Proverbs 2:10-11, NIV)
Related verses: Genesis 3:17-19; Numbers 21:6; Deuteronomy 32:24; Jeremiah 8:17; Ezekiel 34:25; Matthew 10:16
Related questions: Why did God make animals that harm us? Why did God create poison ivy and poisonous plants?
Note to parents: The question of why God made animals that can harm us is answered earlier in Question 4. The answer according to Scripture is that we live in a sinful world (Genesis 3:14-19).
If god made spiders, why do people squish them?
Answer: God created spiders just as he made all the other animals. But there’s a great difference between animals and human beings. People are created in God’s image and are supposed to take care of all creation – including all animals and plants.
God put people in charge of creation, but this does not mean we can harm and kill for fun or destroy the world as we please. We can kill animals and plants for food and to control their population; we can remove or kill spiders, insects, and so forth that threaten us or make it difficult for us to live. But we should be kind to animals when possible and take good care of the world.
Key verse: And God blessed them and told them, “Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. You are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals.” (Genesis 1:28) RELATED VERSES: Genesis 1:20-25; Proverbs 12:10; Acts 10:9-16
Note to parents: Some children want to hurt animals, while others want to be compassionate. God’s desire is for us to be compassionate and wise rulers of all animal life (Proverbs 12:10).
This should not be taken to such an extreme that we think eating meat is wrong. God has provided animals as a source of food and has given us permission to eat meat (see Acts 10).