On Egg Shells

By Courtney:

The silence is always so loud. It’s like you can hear the egg shells crunching. It is that exact awkward moment when you realize the person you are conversing with does not agree with or has a problem with what you have just said. And that even more awkward moment following where you have no idea how to respond or what you want to say is soooo not lady like.

“Hey! I saw you on the cover of the HUB. So you are adopting? From here?”

crunch.

“We are adopting from Ghana.”

crunch. crunch. crunch. CRUNCH.

“Oh.”

CRUNCH! CRUNCH CRUNCH!!!

Unfortunately, this is the exact conversation I had this morning.

Sometimes the result isn’t awkward silence. Sometimes it is really unkind or hurtful words.

A while back a missionary spoke at our church. I wish I had the video to show here. His message spoke directly to my heart. I wanted to give a fist pump and shout “AMEN, BROTHER!” 

This missionary said that when he returns to the United States he always gets the same question - “Why there when there is so much need here?” This struck home with me because we have gotten this question multiple times referring to our adoption.

This missionary said if you look at life that way you could use it as an excuse to never do anything for God. Why help another country when our country needs help? Why help in another state when our state needs help? Why help in another community when our community needs help? Why help another family when my family has so much need? Why help another person when I have so much need?

I have no doubt this is NOT what God wants from us. Focused on self. Lame excuses. Apathy. Fulfilling selfish desires.

I believe that all humans are made in God’s image. Therefore, they are all valuable and special creatures of the utmost worth. ALL of them. I believe that all men are equal in the eyes of God. Being born in a specific place does not make you more important than someone born on another continent, in another state, or to another family. 

God loves us. GOD LOVES US ALL.

God calls us to love.  GOD CALLS US TO LOVE ALL.

"Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us?" Malachi 2:10

"There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;  but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:9-11

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

"Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done." Psalm 105:1

"He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Mark 16:15