This Sunday is Orphan Sunday. Actually, November is National Adoption Awareness Month. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and especially James 1:27, "religion, pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation --to keep himself unspotted from the world." (emphasis my own)
Something else that I heard that hit me was the fact that if only one person from every church in Ameria adopted our foster care system would be obsolete. Imagine that, if only we would listen to God and have a heart for those whom He commanded us to care for, there would be no children waiting for homes.
As Christians we are ALL called to help orphans and widows. Does that mean we are all called to adopt? No, I don't think so. But we can each do something, in our own way, no matter how small or big. So what can we do? The Orphan Awareness Foundation suggests some of the following:
-create "love packs" for children living in foster/kinship care, orphanages, or other insitutions
-write a letter to your state representative urging them to fund issuses involving orphaned children
-create/participate in a rally or demonstration promoting children's rights
-create/participate in a forum via internet concerning children's rights
These are just a few ideas. If you want the full list visit www.orphanawareness.org
It's so easy to get wrapped up in our own little world where we worry about ourselves, our loved ones, we brush off the needs of otheres and justify it by thinking that the need isn't all that great, or that someone else will pick up the slack. That's not how Jesus lived. When he saw a need He filled it. He has commanded us to do the same. I challenge you, I challenge myself, to look outside of my little world and start to live like Jesus did.
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