Problems. Everywhere you turn they stare us in the face. People are hurting, broken, and lonely. Children are suffering, orphaned, and exploited.

But what can I do?
What should you do?

I heard Kay Warren speak about the problem of orphans in our world. That was five years ago. Hundred of kids in the foster system in the United States. Millions of children left orphaned around the world.

How should we look at this problem?

James 1:27 says, “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.”

Kay talked about this verse being a litmus test of our faith because, IF we are Christ followers then we will take this to heart and DO something about this problem.

Proverbs 2310-11 says, “Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.

God is passionately concerned for orphans, and followers of Jesus Christ care passionately about orphans. As Christ followers, we have to accept the responsibility.

Does this mean everyone should adopt? Not necessarily. BUT it does mean we should ask the question and engage in ways to help (“to look after…” ).

Did you know that if one family out of every four churches adopted a child in the current foster system in the United States that there would be NO more foster kids?

Go ahead and re-read that last sentence.

If ONE family out of every FOUR churches seems so easy- except we think someone else can/will do it, so no one does.  How incredible would it be if the Church took on the responsibility to solve this problem?

The first step is to ask the question, and frankly, asking is probably the scariest part. What if God wants to use you (and your family) to “look after” one of His precious children?

It’s been seven years since this original post. Our church, South Bay Church, is partnered with Foster the Bay with the goal of raising the number of families waiting for kids rather than having kids waiting for families. I love being in a community of Christians who are taking this to heart and beginning to act on it. 

What about you? Have you ever asked?