The Joy of Adoption

In 2009 I visited an orphanage in Peru. While there I was given the opportunity to meet a few of the children being cared for, and among the children we met were two boys named Alex, age 11, and Charlie, age 13. Both boys had mental disabilities and had lived at the orphanage for most of their lives. The director of the orphanage told us a bit about the boys’ history. We were told Alex was brought to the orphanage after being thrown into a trash can as an infant. He was discovered in the trash by a passerby, and when they found him there were rats biting his flesh. He was nursed back to health and lives at the orphanage to this day.

Charlie was also discarded as an infant, but they did not find Charlie until three or four years later. You see, there are countless street dogs that rove the city, and Charlie was discovered as a toddler living among the dogs. He barked, crawled on all fours, and ate garbage to survive. Charlie was raised by these dogs, and the reason he was discovered was because he was biting people on the street as if he were a dog himself. There was a similar story out of Russia regarding a girl who was raised by a pack of wild dogs until the age of 5.

We all know that this world can be a cruel place. This world can be heartless, unloving, and vile. Satan, as ruler of this world (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), the evil one (1 Jn 5:19) is a murderer and a liar (Jn 8:44) who prowls about looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). There are times when we see evil things happen in this world, when we see children abused and discarded as refuse and we think, “Is there any hope?” The answer to that question is a resounding yes. There is hope, there is joy, and there is love to be found.

You see, Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy, but the good shepherd has come so that we might have life more abundant (Jn 10:10). There are times when we all feel unwanted and unloved as if we are just garbage to be disposed of. But joy may be found in the assurance of our adoption as children of the Most High. As Romans 8:15-19, 24-25 says, “¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

So we, as adopted children of God, can take great joy and comfort in the knowledge that although the world might treat us as garbage to be discarded, we can take comfort in our heavenly Father.