Why Adopt? (Part 2)

James 1:27 "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

While not every family is called to adopt, as Christians, we are all expected to do something and not turn a blind eye to the plight of children around the world. I turned a blind eye for so long! For us, sending a check to a good cause to ease the suffering just wasn't enough, for "obedience is better than sacrifice" (1 Samuel 15:22). I'm sure it sounds crazy and we'll be asked a lot of questions about why in the world we would want to do this when we already have 5 children and obviously do not have trouble having kids "of our own". It is hard to understand and cannot be explained without giving God all the credit and pointing to Him. When I was an orphan without a heavenly Father because of my sin that separated me from Him, He came and sent His Son to take the punishment for my sin and forgave and adopted me to be His child. Adoption is a beautiful picture of the Father's love for HIS children- an earthly picture of a heavenly idea.

It's hard not to wonder how adopting one child in a sea of literally millions of orphans can actually make a difference. But, for that one child it will make a world of difference. I am only one child of God's in a sea of millions, and how very grateful I am that He counted me as important enough to die for. Christ would have come down to save just one sinner like me. He rescued me from the plight I was in, and now He wants me to be His hands and feet to help one of these precious little ones. Not that I am the rescuer, but that He is and I am a vessel He can use to bring others to Himself. What a privilege! What a calling!

It all comes down to this. Children are a blessing and there's always room in our hearts and our home for one more. There is a little child out there somewhere right now without hope in the world waiting for this Mommy to come get her and she has no idea how great her life is going to be someday. She will have a whole house full of people to love her- a family to call her own.