10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. (Hebrews 6:10-12)
I’m not trying to brag, but I have some pretty amazing friends. I’m going to tell you about two of them today.
The first one is Megan. For several years, she and her husband tried unsuccessfully to have children. They made the choice to become foster parents and adopt children through this system. They adopted two children a couple of years ago and decided that they wanted to add to their family. Soon, another baby came to their home. I came by a few days later to meet this wonderful baby (and bring dinner, of course!). While I was there, Megan got a call. It was the social worker, informing her that a biological relative had stepped forward and passed the home study. The baby would be going to stay with the relative the next day. I sat there and watched tears stream silently down her face. She hung up the phone and called her husband, sharing the news. They spent the next few minutes praying for the child and trusting God to protect the child.
The amazing thing about Megan is her willingness to freely love each and every child that is entrusted to her care. She loves completely and unashamedly. She knows that there is a risk with each child – that she will love them, pour her heart into them… and that they may leave. She inspires me to love like that.
The second friend I want to tell you about is Chloe. She and her husband endured a terrible tragedy several years ago. They dedicated the next five years of their lives to improving and changing laws so that another family would not have to experience the same thing. Those years of dedication and commitment paid off as they watched the state legislature pass the law they worked for years to help craft.
Chloe inspires me to persevere through pain and disappointment. There were roadblocks and setbacks along the way. She discovered just how complicated it can be to change a law. Through it all, she never lost sight of the goal.
Both of my friends have been rewarded for their diligence.
I want to encourage you today. Even though you may not have been called to foster parent a child, or work to change a law, God has called you to something that only you can do. Perhaps it is to parent a strong-willed child, or to be a trusted friend and neighbor who is genuinely concerned. Whatever it is, don’t give up. You will be rewarded for your diligence.
