…to care for orphans in their distress. (James 1:27, NRSV) Today’s post is a follow-up to my comments about adoption in a previous post. I shared a very personal conviction about adoption that day, but my feelings go far beyond just my own experience. As James says, all Christians are called to care for orphans.
My guess is that at the time James penned those words, caring for orphans in a practical way might have entailed giving alms, maybe even adoption in some cases, but most families probably could not afford to take on another child. As I look at the abundance that many in the world have (and I am especially thinking about Americans since I’m from the U.S.), I think that the practical application of caring for the orphans should go beyond giving a little money to charity and should focus on adoption of the 130 - 140 million orphans in the world (source of that statistic: United Nations). Every time another friend, family member, or acquaintance announces she is pregnant, I can’t help but feel a deep sadness for an orphan who would have done well in that home. I try not to be judgmental because I hate it when people judge me for being childfree, but I begin to wonder if it is morally wrong for a Christian to procreate if it results in that Christian shirking her/his God-given duty to care for the orphans.
When my older sister was pregnant with her first child, she said that she would have liked to adopt her next child. Our mother said that adopting a child isn't the same as having a child that is your blood and flesh.
ReplyDeleteSeeing it from this conversation, it might be one of many reasons for why a lot choses having their own child and not adopting one that is an orphan.
But at the same time if you do want to adopt a child nowadays, it is also considered as very expensive as well as you might have to wait a long time before being able of adopting one.
So I think it many times goes like this;
1. Most people wants their own blood and flesh child.
2. Doing adoption is very expensive for many, as well as it requires a long time of waiting before you do really can adopt a child.