Accepting those who the World Rejects

     

One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”  He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

  “Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.

  The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”

   Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”    2 Samuel 9:1-3

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A true story is told of a British factory worker and his wife who were excited when, after many years of trying to become pregnant, they discovered they were going to have their very first child. So this man relayed the good news of his wife’s pregnancy to his fellow workers at the factory, and told them that God had answered his prayers for a child. But his coworkers made fun of him for asking God for a child.

When the baby was born, he was diagnosed with having Down syndrome. And as the father made his way to work for the first time after the birth, he wondered how to face his coworkers. “God, please give me wisdom,” he prayed. 

Just as he feared, some said mockingly, “So, God gave you this child?!” 

The new father stood for a long time, silently asking God for help. At last he said,“I’m certainly glad the Lord gave this child to me and not to you!”

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As this man accepted his disabled son as God’s gift to him, so David was pleased to show kindness to Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, despite his condition. Some may have rejected Mephibosheth because he was lame, but David’s action showed that he valued him greatly.

In the very same way, our sin has mangled our appearance in the eyes of God. Yet because of His love for us in Christ, He has looked past our iniquities and accepted us unconditionally. And it’s by that same grace that we show kindness and acceptance to others when the world rejects them.

A friend of mine sent me this in an email.  I thought it was great and wanted to share the story.   

I felt it was applicable not only to people who are considered disabled, but also to orphans in general.  Orphans are the most innocent and ultimate example of those whom the world rejects.

Rejected because of disability, physical deformity, poverty, even a birthmark...it doesn't really matter how.  

We are all called to care for orphans (James 1:27).   All of us.   

We may not all be able to adopt a child... (although I would highly encourage you to seriously look into it and search your heart to really determine if you can't, or if there is some other reason that's holding you back).    

But...

We can all do something!  We can give of our time or our money.  We can PRAY for orphans.  We can support others who are adopting or who want to adopt!  There are so many ways you can contribute and "care" for orphans.   

  

I would just ask you to pray and ask God where He would use you. Who does God want you to show "His kindness" to?  Where does He want you to be when it comes to caring for orphans?   I  guarantee that He wants you doing something.  

But it is up to you to figure just exactly what.    :))