Christ and the call to foster

Throughout Scripture, God’s heart for orphans and vulnerable children is clearly proclaimed. God declares himself to be “father of the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5), executing justice on behalf of the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 10:18). 

Faith in Jesus leads us to work with Jesus (James 2:17). 

So, with those Scriptures in mind, I pose the question: Should Christians consider foster care?

And I challenge you with my response: Yes, Christians should certainly contemplate foster care simply because protecting vulnerable children shows the heart of God. 

Gospel reasons

A Christian family should not only support organizations providing foster care, but should also prayerfully ponder foster care themselves, for these reasons:

▶ Foster care shows the love of Christ.

▶ Foster care supports and preserves families.

▶ Foster care is a mission field within your own home.

▶ Foster care is pro-life.

▶ Foster care helps heal the brokenness of the world.

Ultimately, foster care provides daily reminders of our need for the gospel. It reminds us that our sin doesn’t affect just us. Others (even children) pay the consequences of our brokenness. Foster care also puts the need for the gospel on display for our families. It is a chance for our children to see Jesus’ commands in action.

Biblical mandates

The need for foster care is great, and we have a great God who wants to use His people in great ways to make a difference in this world.

The biblical invitation that James 1:27 describes cannot be ignored: “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

When applying the gospel to our lives, we see that we are orphans, and God has adopted us. If we believe that, we must model what has been set forth in Scripture. 

Based on Matthew 5:13-14, Christians should consider foster care because we are called to be salt and light in a dark and dying world. Foster parents are difference-makers. Taking in a foster child may not change the world, but it will change the world for that child.

Another biblical reason Christians should consider foster care is because being a foster parent is a wonderful way to demonstrate the love of Christ. Jesus had compassion on the “harassed and helpless” multitudes (Matthew 9:36, NIV); He received children to bless them (Mark 10:16); He taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Fostering a child moves us beyond theoretical discussions of love to the place where we are living out bold, practical love.

While children in foster care may not literally be fatherless, they are all experiencing separation from their birth families, and they need someone to defend them and care for them. In Psalm 82:3 (NIV), God’s Word gives clear instructions to “defend the weak and the fatherless.”

Christians have a long history of tending to the needs of the orphan, the sojourner, and the widow. Children are in need today. How is God calling you to meet their needs?

Editor’s note: Whit Lewis is a pastor and currently serves as senior director of community partnerships at Palmer Home for Children (palmerhome.org), a faith-based organization that provides a family and community to children in need. Lewis is a husband and the father of three adopted children. He is passionate about the gospel, family, and football. The above article is a revised version of a blog that originally appeared on Palmer Home’s website.