A Worthy Calling

   As I was coming back to the condo this morning, from getting a haircut, there was a program on the radio talking about adoption or foster care. The couple who was being interviewed by the program host, talked about, not only the joys of the process, but the problems inherent in the situations. They spoke about the church's involvement and suggested that it can be a two way street. The church can make people aware of the problems of children in need and the Christian's ability to be Christ to these at-risk ones, but it can also be part of a guilt trip, laid on couples who want to do something to help.

   What does all of this have to do with the reading for today? Chambers says:

   "Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind, placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life."

   We have a yearning to be holy, to be right with God, but we can not let our actions be out of sympathy for others and their situation. There is a fine line between being led by the Spirit, and seeing a need that we might be able to help. They might be the same, but maybe not.

   Mayre Lou and I decided way back, to take a young boy into our home, only for 1 weekend a month, to get him out of a children's home environment for just that short period of time, and give him a taste of what a "real" home looked like. We thought we could help him, but our sympathy for his situation did not count the cost to our own 3 kids. After a few months of this, we told the home that we just could not do it any more. Did God lead us to do this, or were we just naive enough to believe that our sympathy could make a difference? We probably gave the boy another feeling of abandonment, that hurt more than helped, and that we regret.

   Is there a place for Christian adoption and foster care? Most definitely, and it is a worthy calling. Couples who are called to this are saints, for sure. Where God is in control of a family, and leads them to do this, there is rejoicing in Heaven, but in our case, where sympathy was the motivation, it was not enough.

   God wants us to seek holiness, and the only way to do this is to stay in a vital relationship with Him and not let our emotions cloud the path.

   I should have learned that years ago, and the question is, have I learned it now?