Depraved Indifference

November is National Adoption Month.  

You may have already seen this 8 minute video, but it is powerful and worth a second view! I encourage you to watch and consider what God is calling you to do this holiday season to love the least of these in our world.  

We are getting into the phase of our adoption that tedious.  We have loads of paperwork to complete, lots of expensive tasks on our check list, and a whole bunch of parent education stuff that we have yet to complete.  It seems like a lot, and sometimes when I tell someone about all the stuff we currently have to do to get one step closer to our child, I get responses like, "Why do they make it so hard?   or "With all the orphans in the world, why isn't it easier to adopt one?" or  "It shouldn't be so expensive.  That's crazy that you have to jump through so many hoops!"

My answer is, "Yes, it is crazy.  Yes, it is expensive.  Yes, it is hard, but that's what we're called to do right now."  This video reminds me of the great sacrifice that Jesus paid so that I could be adopted into God's family.  My adoption wasn't easy, and my adoption was definitely costly!  It cost Jesus His life!

I sometimes wonder why I don't get more of these responses: "Oh wow, what can I do to help?"  or "Wow, how can I pray for you and your child?"  or "Wow, I want to do something about the orphan crisis too."  The lack of true care for the orphan emphasizes a growing problem with Americans.  It's the "depraved indifference" that Eric Ludy talks about.  It's ignoring that there is a problem in this world bigger than our day-to-day frustrations in middle class America.  We think because we don't live there, it's not our problem.  We think that because our budget is already tight, we have nothing to offer.  We think because they look different from us, we don't want to get involved.  We think that God is calling someone else to care for the least of these in this world.  

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not arguing that everyone should adopt.  I am not arguing that people who choose to adopt are any holier or closer to God than anyone else.  That is certainly not true of us!  But, I am arguing that I do see evidence of the depraved indifference that Ludy discusses, and I want no part of it!!  I am arguing that if you are a believer, you shouldn't want any part of it either!  I constantly pray that the Lord will break my heart for the least of these.  I ask Him to give me a heart for the lost, for the less fortunate, and for the people in my daily circle that I don't even know or like.  I cannot love these individuals on my own, but with God's Spirit in me, I can!

This holiday season, Jeremy and I have already discussed ways we can make Christmas not about us and how much money we can spend.  We feel like God is asking us to focus less on the gifts we get for our family members and more on how we can love the least of these around us.  We plan on supporting adoption fundraisers with the shopping that we do.  We plan on sending gifts to less fortunate children through Operation Christmas Child and through Compassion Intl.  We hope to help out a family in need.  Could God be calling your family as well?

Please consider what God would have you do to be less focused my money, my gifts, my shopping, my baking, my kids (Notice all the 1st person pronouns) and be more focused on how God wants you to use His money, use His gifts He has given you, help His people all around you, and rescue His children.

In honor of National Adoption Month, would you consider adoption for your family?  Would you consider helping make adoption possible for another family?  

Now, I have to share what a friend of mine has graciously offered to help us adopt.  My friend, Kristen, has used her incredible graphic design skills to create a wonderful set of topography prints.  They are really pretty and really cool.  They would make great Christmas gifts, too!  She is donating $5 from every print sold in the months of November and December to our adoption fund. Just visit her online Etsy store to view all the options.  She will take special requests as well!

Visit Kristen's store by CLICKING HERE.

Thanks for reading,

-Shelly