I often wonder...
Imagine, one day you are sitting in your living room, cuddled up to your hubby, watching a little TV. It's really cold outside, but your heater's working fine, and you're enjoying some hot cocoa and cookies to offset the weather. It's one of those heavenly moments where all is right with the world.
Then your doorbell rings. Well, that's odd, who can that be at this hour? And in this weather? You go to the door and open it, and find... a child! Maybe 3 years old -- crying nearly frozen tears, lips blue with cold. She's dressed in rags, and she's dirty, and her stomach is sunken in. It's obviously been a little while since she's had a good meal. In that moment, what would you do?
Oh, I know! You'd pat the child on the head and explain that you simply couldn't help her out. Your budget is stretched, and there's no room in the house, and you just couldn't take on any more responsibility right now. Maybe you'd give her a little baggy of cookies and send her on her way. You'd smile at her retreating back -- isn't she cute while she's eating those cookies? And you'd close the door, return to cuddling with your hubby, and hope you didn't miss any of the show after the commercial break.
Would you really do that?
OF COURSE NOT! You'd have that kid in out of the cold in fifteen seconds flat, and be calling social services as soon as you could put your hands on a phone. You'd fix that child a meal, and you would give her blankets and warm clothes. Of course you would!
So what's the difference? Why aren't we the same way with children that we good and well KNOW are living like this, but aren't standing on our doorstep. Should geography really dampen our compassion for this child? Do you think that God cares whether that kid is standing on your doorstep or standing in an orphanage in Uganda? Of course he doesn't!
James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
It's simple. Frighteningly simple.
Matthew 25: 31-46
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
See? CRYSTAL CLEAR.
But, maybe you are saying, "I can't be a good parent!" That's okay. There are other ways to help the orphan! Sponsor a child through Amazima or give to Project Hopeful. Or just sponsor a couple you know who are in the middle of adopting a child.
Maybe you are saying, " I don't have the money to sponsor a child or adopt a child!" That's okay. There are still things you can do. You could be a foster parent, for instance.
AND, most importantly... YOU CAN PRAY!!!!!
Right now, the battle for the orphan is brutal. I believe, according to a word given to one of my bloggy friends, Linny, that God is sick of our apathy towards these little ones, and toward Him. We have to pray for God to stop this attack. You see, right now even our government is halting issuing Visas to children who have already been approved for guardianship through Uganda. The enemy is steadfast in stopping these children from going home.
So, do something!! You can. Do the most important thing. PRAY!!
