What if we.......

A question on social media prompted quite a discussion. Several of the replies have continued to burden my heart. When questioned about the story they share with their adopted children, these mothers' replies were troubling.

"I'm not religious, so I don't believe God did anything. God didn't cause the pain for my child's birth family, and anyone who believes that God would cause pain like that is delusional."

"I do not for one second believe that God would cause my childrens' birth mothers' pain, loss, and heartache to make me, or anyone else a mother."

"God doesn't use and discard the life and emotions of a birth mother to bring adoptive parents babies!"

"If God in His sovereignty designs for a specific child to be adopted by a specific person, does He is his sovereignty design for some orphans to remain orphans and have terrible things happen to them?"

I absolutely believe my children were God's gift to our family, whether adopted from China....

or brought into the family by marriage....

or by birth

When we talk about adoption with our treasures from China, we often talk of Moses. His mother was unable to keep him, but God kept him safe until his new mother could find him because He had BIG plans for Moses. And I tell them, "Just like Moses, God has big plans for you. We will never know why your mother couldn't keep you, but we do know God kept you safe until this mother could find you. And, I'm so honored that God is allowing me to see all He has planned for you."

How do we, then, reconcile our joy with the pain of birth mothers who feel they cannot care for their children? or the pain of the orphans left behind?

I would certainly agree the pain they endure is unimaginable. We live in a fallen world, and while we suffer the consequences of our own sins, so many others suffer from bad choices not of their choosing. Some were given no choice, born with physical defects that we, in our limited understanding, consider tragic.

And, we who are Christians know that God works all things for our good. We know that God had a perfect plan that did not involve an imperfect world. We know that sin came into the world through man.

But, how do we convey that message to those who are lost?

What if we were.....

Light?

I wonder if the mothers above have seen the LIGHT shining in our lives. If the body of Christ were living as He commanded, would they see it?

Where is the CHURCH when birth mothers are hurting? Are we there in loving support for unwed pregnancies? Are we there with support for families who give birth to children with disabilities? Do we lovingly accept those children who are different? Do we teach our children to reach out to those who might be outcasts in our schools?

What if we were THAT LIGHT?

If more Christians responded to His call In James 4:27 to care for the orphans, would there be any orphans left behind? Statistics suggest that if only 7% of Christians adopted, all orphans would have families. There are an estimated 2.2 billion Christians in the world, and an estimated 143,000,000 orphans. I did the math and confirmed those statistics.  If 7 out of every 100 Christians responded, just 7!

Why don't we?

Why aren't we THAT LIGHT?

Is it that we don't take James 4:27 seriously? Do we truly desire to please Him above all others? Is He our first love? Or, is our comfort our first love? I've heard many excuses: I can't adopt because I don't have the time, money, room in my house, etc. If we adopt, I'm afraid I won't be able to give my "own" children the things they need, like a college education, a car, an iPhone. Is the "perfect" life for your children, the American dream, more important to us than love for children who have no one?

Why aren't we THAT LIGHT?

Some have said, "I'm afraid I wouldn't love an adopted child the same way I love my biological children." 

What?? Really?? Have we forgotten that our Heavenly Father adopted us? Isn't love a fruit of the Spirit? If we abide in Him, and He in us, will HE not love through us?

What if we WERE that LIGHT?