We heard a wonderful message this morning on the Greatest Commandment - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. The preacher challenged us to look beyond ourselves and love those around us. I was challenged in a way I probably needed to be more than anything else... And here it is... As a person, I hate pain - physical, emotional, spiritual, all of it. I hate being in any kind of pain. I get tired of it. So rather than have pain, it has been easier for me to just say that I don't want to foster children anymore. I have even said I don't want to pursue another adoption for a few years.
But is that loving my neighbor? Is that having compassion, making a difference? Is that showing Jesus to a child in need? I don't think so. My pain is nothing compared to the children we have encountered.
Children are a blessing from God. No matter whether from my body or someone else's. Children are a joy. They make my life complete. My children make me smile. Even in the difficult, frustrating times of parenting, I enjoy it with my whole heart. And I am thankful for the blessings that God has placed in my life, even if they are there only for a time. (Not to say I will enjoy the pain of losing another child ever... but showing them love is so much more important than my hurting heart)
So all of that to say, maybe God isn't done with us yet. Maybe I shouldn't write off fostering and/or more adoptions just yet. Every child we can touch by being Jesus' hands is worth their eternity - there is nothing more precious than that. Pray for us as we see what God has for us in the future - it may be nothing, but touching one more child for Jesus this year is a huge gain for His Glory!
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