Foster Care/Adoption

You know, God really is the perfect parent, isn't he? I mean, this may seem too obvious to state, but it's so true. While we, as parents, scream, beg, plead, threaten, pout, (and on and on ad nauseam) to get our kids to do what we want/have planned for them; God does this completely differently! He works in gentle nudges, patient whispers, loving snippets from his precious Word. The Bible tells us he is long suffering. I never really understood why it used "long suffering" instead of "patient" but I've started to see over the years how that it exactly what the term should be.

Anyway, as I was driving to the homeschool convention on Thursday, God got me thinking. I was by myself with just Cedar as I was traveling from my parents' house in GA to meet Jon in Orlando. I had a lot of time to think by myself in the car--which NEVER happens for that long of a period of time. So I prayed a lot and sang praises a lot and enjoyed my time with him. But in the midst of this, he brought to mind "adoption" as he does often with me. Some of you probably think that is a silly thought with us having six kids and the youngest not even a year yet, but we have always said we would love to adopt again. These days, though, it seems that it's turned into just my dream instead. That's okay. My sweet husband is stressed and stretched beyond belief with finances and his time so I can't blame him for feeling like he can't handle another child. So I don't say much. It's in God's hands.

But the other day, God took my mind and heart on another trail of thought. Well, I shouldn't say it's different, it's just the first time he's brought it to my mind in this way. Once again, foster care came into my mind. I recently heard a letter read on the radio from a teenage girl in foster care. She had been bounced around to about five different houses and had finally landed in a Christian home. Through a certain stream of events, she said she finally heard herself laughing for the first time in a year. Then she was more interested in who this God was, etc. etc. The letter was very recent, and she was in the midst of "figuring it all out" so there was no major resolution, but it made me think. Of course, once again I brushed it off as "that wouldn't be good for my own children that God has given me to bring up." I mean, it's easy to think that. What if we got a child who had a terrible mouth and said all sorts of bad things in front of my children? What if we got a child who had watched terrible movies and told my kids all about them? Or worse, what if we got a child who had been sexually abused (or abused in any way) and did things to my children that are unspeakable? And then the big one--what would my children do if we got a baby (or little one) and then we had to "give it back"? What if? What if? So, the answer seemed an easy one.

But God's like that, isn't he? He doesn't let you go that easily. Just as I was giving my reasons once again why we certainly couldn't bring a foster child into our home and telling God that we were responsible for these precious blessings that he had given us, he asked me "And what about those children in foster care? Who is responsible for them? Someone failed them. Someone didn't do their job. And who's got to suffer for it?" Once again, it's the children who suffer. It's the "least of these" that aren't taken care of. And who has Jesus called to do this?

³¹ "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²Before him will be gathered all the nations, an ⁾he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you  gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' ⁴⁰And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

    ⁴¹"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' ⁴⁴Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' ⁴⁵Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' ⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."        ~Matthew 25: 31-46

So, if we are to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we are to take care of the "least of these." How do we do this? It looks different for everyone, I know. But as God started laying these children on my heart, I just found myself bawling as I drove down the interstate! These children have been failed. Yes, it is my responsibility to take care of my own, to shelter them, to make sure that their lives are kept holy and pure. But it's also my responsibility to take care of those who can't take care of themselves. I think about children right here in our own country who go to bed hungry because their parents spend the money on drugs or alcohol rather than on food for them. I think of children who cower in closets because they are afraid of getting beat again or can't stand watching their dad beat their mom. I think of children who are scared to close their eyes at night because of the movies or other things they've been allowed to watch. I think of children (yes, even here in America) who are being used a sex slaves and all the irreparable damage that is being done to them. I think of these children and all the other horrible situations out there that children find themselves in--at no fault of their own--and I think "I have the answer." Jesus is the answer! And if people who have the answer don't share it with those kids--who else will?? The state?? Yeah, right.

I don't know how this looks in my life right now. I don't know how this plays out. I do know that I haven't even mentioned it to my husband, and I'm pretty sure what his first response will be. But I also know that I serve a powerful God, and if he wants foster children in my home, then he will have them there!! What does this look like for my kids? I don't know. I do know, though, that the best "lesson" or example I can give them is the example of Christ. I know that the only way they are going to have a servant's heart is to see their parents with one. Only time will tell, but God has gotten my heart to the place where this is a possibility and maybe even a desire. So we'll see what great things he has in store for us.... It's always an exciting ride!