This week, renowned adoption advocate, Russell Moore, discussed how not every Christian should adopt:
For years, I’ve called Christian churches and families to our James 1:27 mandate to care for widows and orphans in their distress, to live out the adoption we’ve received in the gospel by adopting and fostering children. At the same time, I’ve maintained that, while every Christian is called to care for orphans and widows, not every Christian is called to adopt or foster. As a matter of fact, there are many who, and I say this emphatically, should not.
He goes on to say:
…every adoption, every orphan, represents a tragedy. Someone was killed, someone left, someone was impoverished, or someone was diseased. Wrapped up in each situation is some kind of hurt, and all that accompanies that. That’s the reason there really is no adoption that is not a “special needs” adoption; you just might not know on the front end what those special needs are.
I certainly agree with this, and even go on to say that every child is a “special needs” child. Just like us, no child is perfect and will have unique gifts and abilities.
Sometimes parents can throw their expectations onto a child, setting the child to continually be a disappointment when they don’t live up to those expectations. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, even parents. Some parents have unrealistic expectations of how a child should talk, act, and be. A child’s traits can be positive: strong-willed (determined), ADHD (energetic), clinginess (affectionate):
…we need Christians ready to care for real orphans, with all the brokenness and risk that comes with it.
If what you like is the idea of a baby who fulfills your needs and meets your expectations, just buy a cat. Decorate the nursery, if you’d like. Dress it up in pink or blue, and take pictures. And be sure to have it declawed.
Dr. Moore has written the book, Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches, a highly regarded book calling Christians to adopt children. Another purpose of the book is to help equip Christian families going through the process.
I absolutely LOVED this book!!! What are your thoughts?
