Sacred Duty: Caring for Needy and Orphaned Children

The Sacred Duty of Caring for Needy Children

The responsibility to care for orphaned and homeless children is a fundamental test of Christian character and a direct mandate from heavenAH 167.1+1. When a father dies in the faith, he trusts in the eternal promise of God to care for his loved ones, a trust that God fulfills by working a miracle upon human hearts to expel selfishness and unseal benevolenceAH 167.1. This duty is not merely a charitable option but a solemn obligation placed upon the church to act as the hands and feet of Christ in a world filled with affliction and bereavementAH 167.4+1.

The Divine Call to Hearts and Homes

God tests the love of His followers by committing the destitute and the bereaved to their tender merciesAH 167.1. True followers of Christ must open their hearts and homes to these children, providing them with the watchful guidance and subduing influence of a Christian home that they have been deprived ofAH 167.2+1. Without such intervention, children who have inherited evil traits may drift into ignorance, vice, and crimeAH 167.3. Placing these unpromising children in a favorable environment allows for the formation of a right character, transforming them into children of GodAH 167.3.

The Responsibility of the Church Community

The church has a collective responsibility to receive fatherless and motherless children as if they were being placed directly into their arms by Christ HimselfAH 167.4. Jesus promises that those who take in these destitute ones and bring them up for Him shall receive their wagesAH 167.4. It is a grave error to exhibit selfishness by refusing to adopt or care for children unless there is a personal benefit involvedAH 167.4. To turn away and ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" is to mirror the spirit of Cain and indifferently thrust children into the arms of the world Genesis 4:9AH 167.4. In the final day of judgment, God will inquire about the opportunities provided to save these "least of these" Matthew 25:40+1AH 167.4.

Guidance for Specific Groups

Specific counsel is provided for various members of the community regarding their role in this work:

• Childless Couples: Those who do not have children of their own should educate themselves to love and care for the children of others rather than lavishing affection primarily on pets or animalsAH 168.1. By molding the characters of homeless little ones after the divine similitude, these couples find greater happiness and help the church increase in members and spiritAH 168.1.

• Stewards of Means: Those whom God has blessed with resources have a duty to assist the friendless and the widows, supplying the place of father and mother to those exposed to the corrupting influences of the last daysAH 169.1.

• Ministers' Wives: A minister’s wife may adopt children if she lacks the inclination or fitness for outside missionary workAH 169.2. However, if she is capable of educating others and assisting her husband in giving the message, she should not voluntarily tie her hands with the constant care of an infant, but instead consecrate her powers to broader Christian serviceAH 169.2.

A Test of Faith and Hospitality

The act of opening homes to the homeless is a specific test for God's peopleAH 170.3. Just as Christ became poor to provide a home for pilgrims and strangers, His followers are called to stand ready to act their part in this work 2 Corinthians 8:9AH 170.1+1. Believers must accept the holy trust of molding children according to Christ's order, presenting them to God as a fragrant offeringAH 170.2. Fulfilling the command to "Feed My lambs" is achieved through opening homes to the orphans, ensuring that Jesus is not disappointed in the benevolence of His people John 21:15AH 170.1.

Summary of Principles

Caring for needy children is "everyone's business" and serves as a primary means of purging the soul of selfishnessAH 167.1+1. It requires a willingness to be put to inconvenience and to make sacrifices, following the example of Christ's own sacrifice for humanityAH 167.4+1. By providing love, affection, and a Christian environment, believers fulfill their solemn obligation to be friends to the friendless and practical benefactors to humanityAH 169.1.