Fostering and God Is What I Give
Fostering – “I could never do that”
One of if not THE most common phrases I’ve heard when the topic of foster care comes up. It’s usually followed with “it would break my heart” or “I would get too attached” I know a lot of people don’t really know what foster care is and I understand where that comment is coming from but I want to say something: THAT IS LITERALLY THE POINT.
Looking at the picture below you might see a Mama rocking her child to sleep, but you’re wrong, that’s not what’s going on. I wish you could hear this picture. You see, this is a picture of the gospel alive and breathing in my living room, because what you don’t see are the 12 other people that were in the room the moment this picture was taken.
You can’t hear the prayers of healing & restoration being spoken over this traumatized baby & you can’t feel the power of worship, the sacrifice of praise that was surrounding him with a peace so sweet that he crawled into my arms and fell asleep. This isn’t a picture of a Mama with her baby. This is a picture of the church rising up and taking responsibility for innocent life beyond the womb. Will we get attached? Yes. Will it be hard? Absolutely. Will we grieve? Yes.
But foster care isn’t for people who won’t get attached & won’t grieve…it’s for the people who will. Because that is what this and every child who is a victim of insufficient care needs- someone who will get attached, to love them like their own, and yes…someone who will grieve. The church needs to understand this-we aren’t called to attend services once a week and sing a few songs, try our best, pay our taxes and go to heaven when we die…that’s not the gospel.
The gospel is NOW. Jesus’s message was, “The kingdom of God is here!” If you have a heart for the hurting and a passion to stand in the gap and advocate for the needy, but you’re afraid you “could never do that” I want you to think about where that fear is coming from…it’s the enemy’s plan to stop the kingdom of God from manifesting on the earth today- he uses fear to do it and it is rendering the church useless in our community. Don’t be afraid to grieve, be afraid of what will happen to these children if we don’t lay our lives down to love them. ❤️
Alyssa short
