Adoption: A Divine Perspective on Parenting

Jesus’s earthly origins provide us with profound insights into the nature of family, parenthood, and adoption. While we often accept that Mary was the biological mother of Jesus, the truth may hold greater mystery than we assume. Joseph is clearly identified as Jesus’s adoptive father, but was Mary merely a surrogate? Or did she contribute her genetic material to Jesus? The Bible doesn’t explicitly reveal these details, leaving room for thoughtful reflection on the miraculous nature of Jesus’s birth and its implications for us today.

The Mystery of Jesus’s Birth

The Bible affirms that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). This miraculous conception points to God’s sovereign power and the unique nature of Jesus as fully divine and fully human. However, we may wonder about the biological aspects of His birth.

It is reasonable to believe that the foetus of Jesus was connected to Mary through the umbilical cord, as this aligns with the human process of gestation. But was Mary’s genetic material involved? Or did the Holy Spirit create both the paternal and maternal elements required for Jesus’s humanity? This remains a divine mystery. God, the Creator of life, can work beyond human biological processes to bring about His purposes.

What is clear, however, is that Joseph and Mary were entrusted with Jesus’s earthly upbringing. Joseph, as an adoptive father, embraced this role despite societal challenges. Mary, chosen by God, accepted her calling with humility, declaring, “I am the Lord’s servant” (Luke 1:38). Both modelled faithful stewardship of a child entrusted to them by God.

Adoption into God’s Family

The story of Jesus’s earthly family mirrors a greater spiritual reality: our adoption into God’s family. Paul writes in Ephesians 1:5, “He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.” Just as Joseph and Mary lovingly accepted Jesus as their child, God graciously welcomes us into His family.

The Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is the perfect family into which we are adopted. This divine relationship provides a model of unity, love, and purpose for earthly families. Adoption, in this sense, is not merely a legal or relational concept but a transformative experience that reshapes our identity and purpose.

Parenting: A Stewardship, Not Ownership

God instituted the family as the ideal context for nurturing and raising children. However, it is important to remember that our children ultimately belong to God. As parents, we are stewards, entrusted with their care, guidance, and spiritual formation.

Consider Psalm 127:3, which states, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.” The word “heritage” reminds us that children are a gift, not possessions. They are entrusted to us for a time, during which we are called to invest in their growth and guide them toward God’s purposes.

Our role as stewards becomes evident when we recognise that children, whether biological or adopted, will eventually leave our care. Either they will go on to build their own lives, or we will pass on before them. This reality challenges us to approach parenting with humility and a focus on eternal values rather than temporary control.

Adopt Your Children for God’s Purposes

In light of these truths, it is helpful to view all children as “adopted”. Whether they are born biologically or brought into a family through formal adoption, each child is a unique creation of God. Our responsibility as parents is to raise them in the knowledge and love of God, guiding them toward their divine calling.

As Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:21, “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Instead, we are called to nurture, encourage, and discipline our children in ways that reflect God’s love and grace.

Here are some practical ways to adopt your children, whether biological or not, for God’s purposes:

1. Pray for them daily: Lift them up before God, asking for His guidance in their lives.

2. Teach them Scripture: Impart God’s Word to them, helping them build a firm foundation of faith.

3. Model Christlike behavior: Children learn more from what they see than what they hear. Live out your faith authentically.

4. Encourage their unique gifts: Recognise their God-given talents and help them use those for His glory.

5. Entrust them to God’s care: Release control and trust God with their future, knowing He loves them even more than you do.

Reflecting God’s Kindness

As God has shown us kindness by adopting us into His family, we are called to reflect that kindness in our relationships with our children. Whether biological or adopted, each child is an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love and grace.

When you look at your children, ask yourself: Am I raising them for my dreams or for God’s purposes? Am I nurturing them as God’s heritage, knowing they ultimately belong to Him?

Like Joseph and Mary, we may not have all the answers or understand every aspect of God’s plan. Yet, we are called to faithfulness. By entrusting our children to God and raising them with an eternal perspective, we fulfill our role as stewards in His divine plan.

Conclusion

Jesus’s earthly family teaches us profound lessons about adoption, parenting, and God’s purposes. Whether we are parents to biological or adopted children, our calling is the same: to be faithful stewards who nurture them for God’s glory.

As you reflect on your role as a parent, remember the kindness of God, who adopted you into His family. Let that kindness inspire you to adopt your children—whether biologically yours or not—into a life of faith, purpose, and eternal significance.