Adoption: Nobody's Perfect

In this past Sunday morning’s sermon, we explored the concept of being adopted into God’s Family (you can hear that sermon by clicking here).  Every person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ has experienced adoption – even if they don’t recognize that it has occurred.   God has adopted us as his children and so we can call him Heavenly Father – indeed, we can call him “Abba, Father” or “Daddy”.   Perhaps this is why human adoption is so important.  Jesus’ brother James says in James 1:28 that

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

God looks at the idea of taking care of orphans and widows with such importance because his heart is for the broken, the downtrodden, and the helpless.  

It can be hard for many of us to relate to the concept of adoption because adoption of a human baby is not something that everyone experiences personally.   Sure, some reading this have perhaps adopted children and others may have even been adopted themselves.  But for most of us, adoption is more of an abstract concept than a reality.  Truthfully, though, we are all downtrodden; we are all broken; and we are all helpless.  Our sin has left us orphaned and without hope.  This is why God the Father is willing to adopt us.

This week, I have asked someone who has experienced adoption first hand to share that experience with us.  My nephew, Matthew Michalke, and his wife, Emily recently adopted a beautiful special needs baby girl from China.   Perhaps Matthew and Emily’s testimony will shed some light on this whole idea of adoption into God’s family.

Our Experience Adopting From China

By Matthew Michalke

 The form contained four columns of deformities, syndromes, diseases, and conditions. With a series of check marks we were to give our social worker a clearer picture of the child we were searching for. Months before we had begun the process of a special needs adoption, but with this form came the sobering reality that our child would not be “perfect”.  We all understand that perfection is relative. No one expects to give birth to a child that is flawless. They’ll all have their unique ways of getting into trouble. They’ll all have their times of disobedience. When it comes to physical health and appearance, however perfection is every parent’s expectation.
                My wife and I began the process of adoption knowing that we would adopt a child with a special need, but having no direction as to what that need would be. After months of prayer and several weeks of staring at that ominous form, the Lord led us to select Down Syndrome.  As life changing as this decision was, the Lord had shown both of us that DS was only one trait of the child that we were looking for. It did not define her. It did not determine her future. It was simply one more clue to help us find her.
                After nine months of hoping, wishing, praying, and searching we did finally find her and bring her home.

                 In the eyes of the world Vivian Ruth is imperfect. She has a condition that will affect every aspect of her life for the rest of her life. For many years, children with her condition were hidden away and not given an opportunity to live, learn, or work. I don’t foolishly think that Vivian’s life will look like that of the average girl. First cars, graduations, and weddings may not necessarily be in her future. However, those accomplishments and milestones do not determine her worth or value.
                She amazes us daily with new skills; learning the alphabet, counting to ten, doing a flip on the monkey bars. Vivian has brought an abundance of joy into our lives and we cannot imagine our family without her. To her mother and me, she is not an orphaned child with DS. She’s our daughter; our beautiful, intelligent, funny, compassionate little girl. In our eye’s she’s perfect.
                The truth is we’re all flawed. We’re all damaged goods. Maybe it’s not seen in your physical appearance or your mental aptitude, but depravity has touched us all in ways that we cannot even begin to comprehend. We are all broken and fatherless. We are all imperfect orphans. Don’t agree with that description of yourself? Just read the words of the Apostle Paul:
                In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Eph. 1:5-7)
                We are all in need of redeeming. Our trespasses have left a relationship with our creator impossible for us to attain. Like Vivian, we were all at the mercy of our father to come and bring us home. There were no forms or checks required for this adoption; only the blood of a perfect sacrifice. For those of us whom the Lord has brought to salvation, the work of Christ has covered our sin and made it possible for us to be sons and daughters of God. As I look at Vivian, so the Lord looks at us. Because of Christ He does not see our failures and shortcomings; He looks at us, covered with the blood of the atonement, and sees His beautiful children.
He has saved us. He has brought us home. In His eyes we have great worth. 

As I read Matthew and Emily's testimony, I could not help but think that just as they chose to adopt their baby girl in full knowledge of all of her imperfections and with every expectation of challenges and difficulties as a result, God chose to create humanity knowing it would rebel, be imperfect, and cause difficulties.  God was not surprised at our disobedience, and yet God still loved us enough to create us.  Moreover, he loved us enough to make a way for us to be adopted into his family – despite all our imperfections. 

Who Am I?
I Am Adopted