Passionate about Orphans

Recently, I was told that my passion for the fatherless had bowled someone over. While it was not meant exactly as a compliment – I am choosing to take it as one. After mulling over those words I came home and looked up the definition of passion :

Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin passion-, passio suffering, being acted upon, from Latin pati to suffer — more at patient
1often capitalized a: the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death b: an oratorio based on a gospel narrative of the Passion 2obsolete : suffering3: the state or capacity of being acted on by external agents or forces4 a (1): emotion (2)plural : the emotions as distinguished from reason b: intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction c: an outbreak of anger5 a: ardent affection : love b: a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept c: an object of desire or deep interest

synonyms passion, fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, zeal mean intense emotion compelling action. passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable . fervor implies a warm and steady emotion . ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived . enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity . zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause .

In reading this I was amazed to see that the definition of passion was linked to what Jesus went through for us (Passion of the Christ). I am in no way saying that my passion is equal or even comparable to that of Jesus – but that passion mattered to Jesus or He would not have done what he did for us.

Yes, I am passionate. I have an intense, driving feeling about orphans and adoption. I am enthusiastic about sharing the Biblical perspective on adoption, and I am zealous about sharing the orphan’s plight. I am unapologetically passionate, enthusiastic and zealous for children that have no one to love them, care for them, shape them and give them the security that every child deserves and most take for granted.

Several years ago in doing spiritual gifts tests, I have also discovered my strongest spiritual gift is compassion – which broken down is to bear (com) and one’s suffering (passion) or to have a deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.. In a Bible summary on the definition of compassion it shared that God’s character embodied compassion and defines it as the kind of compassion that is not just about talk and feelings but is full of action. I pray that is the kind of compassion that people see in me – that the children I champion see.

Is my passion always mature? No – I recognize that I am sometimes over-zealous, over-enthusiastic, and too passionate about what I do. That is something that I have to put in God’s hands daily – but it scares me as to how apathetic so many Christians are to the fatherless. Recently a family shared that when talking to their leadership team at their church about their desire to adopt – that one of the pastors cautioned them that it was a demonic interruption in God’s plan for their ministry. I don’t remember seeing God using the terminology “demonic interruption” anywhere in the Bible to describe orphans, adoption, children or caring for the needy. In fact, I remember Jesus did the opposite – he told the disciples to bring the children to him after they tried to send them away. Jesus made time to minister to the children and he blessed them.

In conclusion, I am proud to admit to being passionate about orphans and adoption. I believe that passion has helped 90+ children come in to loving Christian families, and I pray that more will follow. I personally view that passion as a God-given gift. Once in a small group of women, we wrote down questions as an ice breaker and the question I wrote is, “What you are passionate about?”. The lady that got my question commented that she was content where she was and she wasn’t really “passionate” about anything. I feel sorry for her – I think that our passion is linked to our ministry and to the very reason that God created us. My prayer is that all would find that passion within and do what God purposed it for.