What Adoption Taught Me About the Family of God
Image created with Canva.
I remember it vividly: I was about 5 years old, and my parents sat down with me on their bed. They asked me if I would like to become a foster sister. I was so excited. I remember seeing a little white brochure about foster families with two intertwined red hearts on the cover. My life was forever changed.
When I was a little girl, I had a 20-minute seizure and a 10-hour coma. At one point doctors told my parents there was nothing more they could do. God answered the fervent prayers of my parents and grandparents and I’m here today, “alive and kickin’” as a favorite professor used to say. My brother had a similar scary experience related to his asthma as a boy. I believe we are here today because God had more for us to do on this earth.
So my parents, compelled by their great gratitude for our recoveries, courageously decided to become foster parents.
They went on to adopt two children from the foster care system when I was a very young girl.
Being a #fostercare sister helped @maviecatholique learn there are no strangers, only siblings.Click To Tweet
This taught me one very valuable lesson in life: we are all truly brothers and sisters. When I look around at people in this world, I see not strangers, but siblings.
Here’s what I know…
The woman in a nursing home? That is my sister.
The boy diagnosed with cancer? That is my brother.
The homeless man? That is my brother.
The woman struggling with drugs? That is my sister.
The man in prison? That is my brother.
The girl struggling with anorexia? That is my sister.
The man who lost his job? That is my brother.
The woman facing a crisis pregnancy? That is my sister.
The hungry child without food? That is my brother.
The child who is neglected and orphaned? That is my sister.
The teenage boy who is angry and broken? That is my brother.
The teenage girl considering suicide? That is my sister.
I mean these things in a figurative sense. That truly, all of the people out there are all our brothers and sisters. We all belong to each other.
Nothing has taught me this more profoundly than having adopted siblings – siblings who are not related to me biologically, but who are related to me spiritually and through the experiences God has given us together that have molded us into family.
Look around at the world for a moment. Do you see peace everywhere you look? Mother Teresa once said, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
A Mother belongs to her child. A child belongs to her Mother. A sister belongs to her brother. A brother belongs to his sister. A wife belongs to her husband. A husband belongs to his wife. A neighbor belongs to his neighbor.
We all belong to each other. We are all a part of the family of God.
And we all have a responsibility to look out for the lives of our brothers and sisters.
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” – Matthew 25:31-40
I thank God that my parents brought adopted children into our home and taught me that we are all truly brothers and sisters through Christ.
What can we do for Christ when we encounter Him today?
One small suggestion: pray for children in foster care waiting for adoptive families! See a list of names and pictures of some precious children waiting for adoption who need our prayers today!
P.S. God is merciful & He loves you! Pass it on…
Copyright 2016 Kaitlyn Mason
The post What Adoption Taught Me About the Family of God appeared first on CatholicMom.com - Celebrating Catholic Motherhood.
