Children Have Rights

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12

I heard a story on “Focus on the Family” radio program some years back. There is this Vietnamese girl called Lian who is adopted by an American family. She later returned to Vietnam and build over 100 orphanages. She tells her story…

During the Vietnam war, babies were frequently left in abandoned buildings, rice fields to die. Lian is an orphan and never saw her parents. At the age of 7, she was abandoned by her caretakers in a rat infested building together with a newborn baby where the rats come and attack them. Even as an adult now, she could still hear the vivid screams of the new born as the rats chew on its little body. Just then, a man came and carried her away leaving the baby behind. She was then placed in an orphanage where she helped out, caring and grooming the babies for westerners to come and adopt them for a fee.

When she turns 11 as she recalls, there is this kind American missionary couple who frequently visit and help out at the orphanage. They would spend time with every baby, cradling them in their arms, whispering to them before putting them back into their crib. One day, it is time for the them to return to the United Staes and they had planned to also adopt a baby girl from the orphanage.

Lian takes pride in her work and is overjoyed whenever a baby is adopted. Early that morning, Lian groomed the baby girl for one last time before sending her off to her new home. The American couple came and sat down with the head of the orphanage. After a while, the head of the orphanage wave her towards them and told her that the American couple have decided to adopt her instead. At that time, she could not understand how being part of a normal family is like, as she never had parents.

For a long time, she could not accept her new identity as a daughter and no longer an orphan. Even though her adopted parents love her dearly, she is often difficult thinking that they are just using her. When she turns twenty, her father passed away and left her his estate. Only then, did she come to understand her status as a daughter; all that her father possesses now belongs to her. She need not work to earn it, because it is her right. She was an orphan with no possessions or inheritance, but now a daughter, an heir to his estate.

We were orphans because of sin and cursed in the world of hopelessness and suffering. We have no inheritance and destined to suffer eternal condemnation. Jesus redeemed us by taking our curses upon Himself. The bible says,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having been a curse for us. Galatians 3:13

Those who believe in Christ and repent of their sins will be given the right to become His sons. Once we are adopted into God’s family, we are heirs of His creation forever.