James 1:27

My sister and I got into a discussion today.

(Don’t worry, Mom, we weren’t really fighting.)

It had to do with my many recent posts about adoption. (I reminded her that it is National Adoption Month, about which she assured me she was aware!)

She said my adoption posts were making her feel guilty.

Now bear in mind, this is someone who is expecting baby #4 in May, which will make 4 children ages 6 and under. And each of these children is a miracle, being born to a couple who were once told they would never have biological children. She has nothing to feel guilty about! And I told her so.

Well, her husband (my brother-in-law) actually beat me to it and told her she did not need to feel guilty about not adopting … at least right now (hehehe, I added that last part!)

But our conversation did lead me to want to share the following quote from adult adoptee and author Sherrie Eldridge:

“There are many Christians who misinterpret the Scriptures about caring for orphans and widows. The verse doesn’t say to marry off the widows and adopt the orphans. It says to care for them. This can come in the form of financial aid, mission trips, etc. I’m not saying we shouldn’t adopt, but I am saying that one must be sure that he/she is being CALLED to be a parent. We adoptees don’t like to be a ministry. We just want to be your kids.”

What I appreciated about her quote is that it is important to remember that not every Christian is called to adopt children. But we are all called to minister to widows and orphans. For some that will mean adoption; for others, it will mean short-term missions trips to orphanages; for some, it will mean foster parenting; for others, it will mean helping financially to make adoption a reality for another family; for some, it will mean becoming a Big Brother/Big Sister or mentor right where you live.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, for some it will mean participating in a program like Angel Tree (providing Christmas gifts to the estimated 2.3 children of prison inmates in their name) or Operation Christmas Child (sending gift-filled shoe boxes and the gospel to children in desperate situations around the world.) For others it will mean buying extra groceries for a struggling family in your own church or neighborhood, or inviting them to join your family’s celebration.

Orphan ministry is something every Christian is called to do … but it will look different for each one of us. The important thing is that we be willing to search the Scriptures and seek God’s own unique plan for how we can be involved in it.

Only November is National Adoption Month … but every month is James 1:27 Month!

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction …”