My family recently watched the old musical Annie. What a charming and happy orphan Annie is! Her happiness stems from hope, because she knows that she belongs to someone and that someone will rescue her. Well, my hair is not red and curly, and I’m certainly not as charming as she is, but I am an orphan, nonetheless. Yes, I’m Little Orphan Donna. Don’t worry, though. I have been adopted by my own Daddy Warbucks, and He’s the richest man in the world!
So, what do you think of when you hear the word “adoption”? Maybe you think of someone giving hope to one who didn’t have hope, someone giving identity to one who didn’t know his identity. Perhaps you picture a place to belong for one who had no home, and a family for one who was alone. What a beautiful picture of adoption! What a beautiful picture of what God does for us! (1 Peter 2:9-10)
The concept of being adopted by God and being a part of His family has been forefront in my mind a lot, recently. As I have read the Scriptures and studied in multiple places about this concept, I’m persuaded that most believers (certainly including me) haven’t really scraped the surface of what this kind of hope, identity, belonging, and connectedness should look like in a local church. Part of the reason may be that we forget where we have come from, or perhaps that as orphans who’ve been adopted, we’ve never really known what it is to belong to a true family . . . one that has a common purpose, a common identity, a common goal, and a common love. We are a dysfunctional bunch! Thank God that He redeems us and calls us to hope in Him (1 Peter 1:3-5). We don’t start out knowing how to be a family, but He calls us to be a part of His family and to learn what that means. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
In the Treasures of Encouragement Bible study that some of the women are going through this semester, we’re seeing how the ministry of encouragement flows out of understanding who God is and then understanding who we are in Him. Living life as a community is the way God intends for His people to live. It’s been a great lesson in going back to the basics of understanding that our confidence in our great God and the identity and position we have as His children should be the driving force of our ministry to others. If we understand the foundations, the ministry of encouragement flows naturally, because we truly love each other.
This past Sunday, as we corporately read the weekly memory verse together (Matthew 22:37-39), it reminded me of how important loving others is to the Lord. Then, as one of our Sunday classes discussed the picture of adoption, it hit me again of how seldom we really think about ourselves as true brothers and sisters, whose identity and inheritance is in the Lord. How often do we really think of how we can love our brothers and sisters just because the Lord wants us to love each other? It’s not just about “what next good deed does God have on my to-do list” (which can sometimes lead us to a path of focusing on ourselves and “our” ministry). Rather, it’s about loving each other with the great love that He has loved us with. (1 John 3) What a difference that perspective could make in the Body of Christ! It’s not about you or me or our random acts of kindness; rather, it’s about His children loving each other, bearing each other’s burdens, being patient with one another for HIS glory. (John 13:34-35, Ephesians 3:10-11, Ephesians 3:16-21)
May the amazing love that the Father has lavished on us (1 John 3:1) in Christ be the driving force of all that we do, that we may bring Him glory as we love each other.
Donna
You are so right. We work with abandoned babies, and I have realised that God has given us, as a family to love these children though they were our own and yet not hold onto them as He has a plan and a purpose to find them parents. We have discovered that very revelation that you have experienced. That we are to love each other unconditionally and in a sense “adopt” people and love them like our own family. Not keeping them at a distance but inviting them into our lives with open arms. Its amazing how God has used the very ministry we are involved with to get us to a place of revelation.
Donna,
I couldn’t agree with you more. As the mom of four adopted children, one who was neglected, two who were born cocaine addicts (one of those the birth mother tried to abort two different times), and one who was rescued after his birthmother tried to sell him. These children all came to us under different circumstances, with different needs and personalities. We have accepted them all, loved them all, with all their unique ideas and needs. I expect all of my children (adopted and birth) to love one another and respect their differences. There have been times when one sibling tries to ridicule the other because they “don’t clean the dishes the same way” or they “take too long to get dressed.” It is a teachable moment at our house (we have many. =) Your blog is a teachable moment for us all, a good reminder how we should love and encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Adoption is a beautiful picture of how our Father accepts us as unique individuals (that He created). I am thankful that He will never try and get rid of us like my children’s birthmother. We are blessed to have families, both physical and spiritual.
Thank you for taking the time to share your heart.
Ladies,
Thank you for sharing your wisdom as people who know first-hand the difference a loving family can make in someone’s life! May we all seek to love our brothers and sisters in the church more deeply, as we realize that the wisdom of God is displayed through His church. (Ephesians 3:6-20).