Living away from home as a young child is very difficult, mainly because you find yourself on the wrong side of the door.
The feelings of abandonment and loneliness can be overwhelming and debilitating in the best of circumstances. Eight years of my life were spent living at a "boarding school", a place 500 miles from home. I had "houseparents" who took care of me, set the schedules, rang the bells, carried out the discipline, assigned the chores....and tried to love 20 kids the best they could. In spite of their best efforts, most of us had moments when our hearts broke and we cried....we wanted to be on the other side of the door.
Maybe that is the reason why I love coming home so much. As the end of the work day draws near, the excitement of going home begins to increase. The best part by far, is putting your key in the door and finding everyone that you love the most....on the other side of the door. "Daddy's home!" It is the best feeling in the world.....living on the other side of the door.
At boarding school we were on the trimester plan which meant that every 13 weeks we got to go home for 4 weeks! Our lives changed, life was wonderful again,......for those 30 days......we were on the right side of the door. I survived those days on the wrong side of the door because I had 90 days a year.....on the right side of the door.
Children who need foster care are living on the wrong side of the door. Agencies do their best, but there is no substitute for reuniting those children with their birth parents through a temporary stay with a loving foster family....or, adopting those children into a family of their very own. They need to be on the right side of the door.
Actually, we have all lived on the wrong side of the door. Revelations 3:20 Jesus says, "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." NLT
Living on the outside of the door is a choice. Living on the inside of the door is a choice. Choosing to open the door to a foster child, is not just a choice, it is an act of love.
There might be a child standing on the outside of your door. Would you consider bringing them in....to the right side of the door?
2 comments:
Phil, this is beautiful. Thank you for advocating for these kids who are among "the least of these" whom Jesus Himself identified with. Our adopted daughter is now 23, a beautiful, purposeful Christian woman.
Beth,
Thanks for opening the door of your home so that a child could be on the "right side of the door.".
To your daughter.....what a great Mom you have!
Thanks for your story.
Blessings, Phil
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