A friend of mine, Christy Benson, has been stirred to make a difference in how people approach adoption. Her passion on the subject is convicting, so I asked her to jot down a few thoughts for us to read. I think you’re about to see that Christians have a real, non-passive role when it comes to how we think about adoption. Here’s Christy:
The journey to investigate adoption began a few years ago. We were part of a church where we were brushing shoulders with families called to adopt as well as foster. We dipped our toe into this new world and received a “no” from God. But there are so many children who need a family! We thought, “Surely this is what we are to do!” So, we waited, and then we came face to face (through social media) with a deaf teenager in Columbia, South America. We researched her and her needs and we said “Yes” to God and again He said “No”. I was confused by this and decided to wait for the next time. But there has not been a next time. I waited and prayed because there was still a reason this had all happened.
Pro-Life Means All Life
Fast forward to this past fall. Every single election cycle when candidates are discussed, mostly what I hear in my Christian circles is “I vote pro-life.” Me too. The Lord laid on my heart to figure out what this means every other day of the 4 years in between voting. And, if my pro-life stance culminates in Roe v Wade being overturned, what does the church do then? What do we do with the influx of more children in the system? The Book of James was my daily Bible reading right around this time. And it hit me like a ton of bricks. When commandments are given in the Bible are we allowed to pick and choose which ones we feel like keeping? No. So there I sat with James 1:27. For my whole life I have never done anything about this verse because I believed it is one for those called to adopt. And we had been given two firm “No’s” from God. But the commandment still is right there:
James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
God is not looking for us to be different solely based on our outward appearance and church attendance. But by also taking care of widows and orphans. As I read this verse this past fall I thought, “We are not called to adopt and I vote pro-life” but my duty is not done. Voting pro-life is a start but, we as Americans, with abundant blessings can do SO MUCH MORE for the children being born and in need of a home.
The Start of a New Ministry
God laid on my heart to take the first baby step to begin in January and a ministry called Plead 4 the Privilege has just been developed in March. This ministry will raise funds to help adopting families financially. The name comes from II Corinthians 8:1-4. We introduced a puzzle fundraiser in January for an adopting missionary family within our church and in 48 days had all 520 pieces sold to help this family offset the astronomical price of adoption. $25 from different families, in different states, attending different churches, all the body of Christ, added together snowballed into over $13,000!
The least we, as ones NOT called to adopt, can do in caring for orphans is to pass on our financial blessings to their parents. $20,000 minimum to adopt a child. And guess what? God does not say that the adopting family should take out a loan to do this. Me. You. All of us who are not called to adopt are to support them. The real truth is if every church in America adopted 1 child, there would be no more kids in foster care. A church can’t. But a family within a church can and the Body of Christ can be the financial support.
If you would like more information about how you can be a part of Plead 4 the Privilege, you can visit our Facebook page for more information. Our website is still being established but it is Plead4.org. Check back in a few weeks to see the progress we’re making.
So, what can you do about James 1:27?
