If you know me and my family, you may be wondering what in the world I am going to say in this post. For those who don't know, my family includes 4 children, of whom the youngest we "imported" from India four years ago. Briefly, our story started when, at 18, in my college library doing some research, I stumbled upon an article about the one-child-policy in China and all of the atrocities occurring there in regards to children as a result. In an instant, I was moved to one day care for one of these children through adoption. While my story went on to include marriage and three biological children prior to the adoption coming into fruition, it was indeed the will of God, confirmed by his spirit and provided for miraculously by Him and through the generosity of others.
I have since been a voice for the abandoned in many ways through sharing our story and through my involvement with different organizations, even helping to put on a conference in order to share the plight of the orphan and equip people to care for them. In my dealings with and exposure to many other like-minded believers crusading for orphans, I have been disturbed by a message that seems to be pervasive. It is not the message of all, but it is frequent enough that it stirred me to write this blog. Perhaps my choice to adopt and to help others in that pursuit may give my voice some credence that others who have not shared this journey may not have, but at any rate, I believe what I have to share is truth, not just opinion.
First, the message I have heard from many: EVERYONE who calls themselves a believer is commanded in scripture to care for orphans and widows, the oppressed and the poor and if you are not doing this, you are in sin and you are not living the life Jesus commands. (The attitude suggests, "Here is the law...you should be following it. I have discovered this, and am being obedient to it and will now proceed to pronounce judgement on you if you are not.) Now, I believe the word is clear we are to give to those in need and if we have been blessed we are to give to those who do not have much. This is indisputable. What I take issue with is the WAY that is often communicated (the heart behind it) and the very specific and limited way that truth is prescribed. The truth of the matter is that we are not called not to align ourselves to a cause, but to a Person. We as believers, regardless of age, ethnicity, country of origin, are ALL called to serve Christ. To live for him, to die for him. To adopt for Him.Or to NOT adopt, for Him. IF the Lord is stirring on your heart to help an orphan, to help the homeless, to help a widow, to help your neighbor, and you do not do it, THAT is a sin. But you are not bound to a man who tells you this is what you must do. We must help others out of a love response to the Savior who calls us. And for the record those who use manipulation and guilt as means to try and make people do anything, have forgotten the manner in which Christ Himself once called them. He is FULL of grace, and it is his kindness that leads us to repentance. He does not shame us into anything because He knows that when He shows Himself to us in love and full of glory, if we are really his, we will not be able to resist His beauty, His life, His love, and will willingly follow him where ever he calls, even to death, or to the orphan. He indeed does convict us of our sin, but it is always with an invitation to greater life with Him.
Having said that, I believe we should take a long hard look at our lives. If we are following Christ, there should be a difference in the way we live. If not, and hear me say this emphatically, THE REMEDY ISN'T TO GO OUT AND MAKE YOUR LIFE LOOK DIFFERENT!!! For if Christ has not made a difference in your life, then He has not made a difference in your heart, and THAT is where He desires to meet you. Get before your God. MAKE TIME FOR HIM. The days are short, time is fleeting. You do not have time to not do what he is calling you to, and you don't have time to do things He isn't calling you to. First and foremost, get to know Him. Ask Him to show Himself to you. Ask Him what He thinks about orphans, widows, and the needy. Delve into His heart. He is ALWAYS supposed to be the center of anything we do, NEVER man. Humanism sets man on the throne....makes man, the needs of man, and service to man the center. This is the core difference between humanitarianism and service to man born out of love for Christ. You see, the more we are around Jesus, the more we know him, are filled by his love, and will desire to love him back. Because He isn't selfish, and his heart is for those in need, if we are being conformed to his image, we will share his heart. So the bigger issue if you don't care about orphans and the needy, if your heart isn't stirred for them, is the lack of conformity to his image, which results from either not knowing Him at all, or just not knowing him well enough. For to be with him, to know him is to be changed by him and to look more like him.
He commands us to love one another, which would include caring for those in need, but that call is preceded by a command to first know Him. Then, in his presence, we can be filled and lead into what that looks like. Bind yourself to Christ, and Christ alone, and you will be filled and thus fulfill HIS purposes for your life.
I have since been a voice for the abandoned in many ways through sharing our story and through my involvement with different organizations, even helping to put on a conference in order to share the plight of the orphan and equip people to care for them. In my dealings with and exposure to many other like-minded believers crusading for orphans, I have been disturbed by a message that seems to be pervasive. It is not the message of all, but it is frequent enough that it stirred me to write this blog. Perhaps my choice to adopt and to help others in that pursuit may give my voice some credence that others who have not shared this journey may not have, but at any rate, I believe what I have to share is truth, not just opinion.
First, the message I have heard from many: EVERYONE who calls themselves a believer is commanded in scripture to care for orphans and widows, the oppressed and the poor and if you are not doing this, you are in sin and you are not living the life Jesus commands. (The attitude suggests, "Here is the law...you should be following it. I have discovered this, and am being obedient to it and will now proceed to pronounce judgement on you if you are not.) Now, I believe the word is clear we are to give to those in need and if we have been blessed we are to give to those who do not have much. This is indisputable. What I take issue with is the WAY that is often communicated (the heart behind it) and the very specific and limited way that truth is prescribed. The truth of the matter is that we are not called not to align ourselves to a cause, but to a Person. We as believers, regardless of age, ethnicity, country of origin, are ALL called to serve Christ. To live for him, to die for him. To adopt for Him.Or to NOT adopt, for Him. IF the Lord is stirring on your heart to help an orphan, to help the homeless, to help a widow, to help your neighbor, and you do not do it, THAT is a sin. But you are not bound to a man who tells you this is what you must do. We must help others out of a love response to the Savior who calls us. And for the record those who use manipulation and guilt as means to try and make people do anything, have forgotten the manner in which Christ Himself once called them. He is FULL of grace, and it is his kindness that leads us to repentance. He does not shame us into anything because He knows that when He shows Himself to us in love and full of glory, if we are really his, we will not be able to resist His beauty, His life, His love, and will willingly follow him where ever he calls, even to death, or to the orphan. He indeed does convict us of our sin, but it is always with an invitation to greater life with Him.
Having said that, I believe we should take a long hard look at our lives. If we are following Christ, there should be a difference in the way we live. If not, and hear me say this emphatically, THE REMEDY ISN'T TO GO OUT AND MAKE YOUR LIFE LOOK DIFFERENT!!! For if Christ has not made a difference in your life, then He has not made a difference in your heart, and THAT is where He desires to meet you. Get before your God. MAKE TIME FOR HIM. The days are short, time is fleeting. You do not have time to not do what he is calling you to, and you don't have time to do things He isn't calling you to. First and foremost, get to know Him. Ask Him to show Himself to you. Ask Him what He thinks about orphans, widows, and the needy. Delve into His heart. He is ALWAYS supposed to be the center of anything we do, NEVER man. Humanism sets man on the throne....makes man, the needs of man, and service to man the center. This is the core difference between humanitarianism and service to man born out of love for Christ. You see, the more we are around Jesus, the more we know him, are filled by his love, and will desire to love him back. Because He isn't selfish, and his heart is for those in need, if we are being conformed to his image, we will share his heart. So the bigger issue if you don't care about orphans and the needy, if your heart isn't stirred for them, is the lack of conformity to his image, which results from either not knowing Him at all, or just not knowing him well enough. For to be with him, to know him is to be changed by him and to look more like him.
He commands us to love one another, which would include caring for those in need, but that call is preceded by a command to first know Him. Then, in his presence, we can be filled and lead into what that looks like. Bind yourself to Christ, and Christ alone, and you will be filled and thus fulfill HIS purposes for your life.
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