What are you afraid of?

So as I prepare to start an orphan care ministry at NorthPointe, I once again picked up my Seeds of Change devotional on orphan care and started reading it. This time I think it spoke to me in a whole new way. Today's reading was about fears that many people have when it comes to adopting or not. Honestly, even though I try my hardest to follow God's will for my life and do what He asks of me, I have had these fears from time to time. But each time I do, I remind myself that God will provide. If taking care of the "least of these" is what He asks of each and every believer of Jesus Christ (and it is), then He will provide. Here is what I read:

"Until we see these children as our own, nothing will change, not on a macro scale and not in and through us. So, why are we blind? Why do we not see orphans as our own flesh? Are we so deceived that we do not recognize some sin blinding us from seeing God's heart for the orphan and our role with them? Or are we willfully refusing to remove the idols we have before our eyes because of what it will cost us? Idols that feed our flesh: Lust of the eye-we want to keep what we have and accumulate more. Lust of the flesh-we strive to re-order our lives in our efforts to be comfortable. The pride of life-we are too important, self-sufficient, self-actualizing, self-focused. Are we blinded by fear? Is it a sense of being overwhelmed by the need? 143 million fatherless kids-is such a great need simply too much for us to comprehend that we become paralyzed? Do we believe the lie that says nothing we do will have any real impact? Or are we afraid of being broken in ways that we do not want to be broken? Is it that we think that these kids' lives are damaged, and we don't want that messing up our carefully manicured and safe lives? Are we afraid of what God is going to demand of us if we truly engage? Jesus himself took on our brokenness. It cost Him, and He never condemned us and never feared to take on what we brought. We must not fear what God would bring to us through these children if God is leading us to them. The Lord our God who summoned us by name will be with us every step of the way." ~Kerry Hasenbalg

Wow, those are some powerful words, but words I hear all too often when I talk to people about them considering adoption. I'm pretty sure some of my friends are getting tired of me posting about orphans and adoption all the time on Facebook. As I have been reading this book, I put on my status something that will possibly make them think; I pray that it will. I just have this overwhelming desire to see that people realize that this is what God has called each of us to do-care for the least of these. What are you afraid of? Do something! These children are counting on you!