A Final Word on Adoption

Well, at least until tomorrow. Two things:

1. As I discussed the article from Bradley on adoption with my wife, we committed to pray through the tension of faith and responsibility. What I mean is that the main reason against adoption is usually responsibility. That is, it would not be responsible to adopt a child for reason X. Money, an overburdened mom, you have enough kids as it is, etc. Those are good reasons, for God calls us on us to act responsibly in this world. However, there are times when faith trumps what looks like reasoned, rational responsibility. Though we are called to be responsible with what God has given us (and he has given us everything), there are times when we'll have to step out in faith based on the leading of the Holy Spirit. Those are the times when our ability to be responsible is limited. Perhaps the money is not there right now to support extra kids, or you think your own children will be negatively affected by new siblings, or you have no idea how you'd be able to care for a special needs child. When God calls on you, you've got to be ready to put those things aside and believe that God will provide.

So how do you know if you are stepping out in faith or being irresponsible? There isn't any one way to determine that. Multiple things will help you decide. Mostly, I think, you'll just "know." And the decision to adopt, it seems, will rarely come by way of reasoned responsibility. The idea will always seem ludicrous. Yes, be responsible. But more importantly, listen to God.

2. The evangelical/missional benefits of adoption are obvious. But is that the reason you should adopt? As my wife pointed out to me, no. The reason you should adopt should be the same reason God adopted us (Eph. 1:5). Christ went to the cross. Why? "For the joy set before him," the author of Hebrews wrote. And that joy was us. Jesus Christ loved us so much that he sacrificed his life so that we might be saved. There is no difference between his impetus for adoption and ours. The sacrifice we would make in bringing home two sisters, or a little boy with a heart defect, or a teenager with social problems, would be for a single reason: our joy.

115,000 kids in foster care in America.