Despicable Adoption

Ok, so maybe the title was a little over the top, but it got you to click on the link, right?

With the weather outside pushing 100+ degrees, we've decided to stay inside, which inevitably leads to some movies on the tube.  Today we watched Despicable Me.  We've seen it many times, and for those who know the plot, you may know why we love that movie so much.  The movie's been around long enough that I don't mind to ruin it for you. :-)

Gru, the main, despicable character, decides to adopt these three precious girls, but with entirely wrong motives.  Hence, he's despicable.  However, in the process, he falls deeply in love with these girls and in the end, he fights to get them back.  He rescues his little girls from the other villain, Vector, and takes his girls home to safety.

When watching this movie today, I was especially struck by the title "Despicable."  For Gru, this adjective is, in fact, true.  Whether he becomes "respectable" in the process, I'll let you decide, but in the end, he adopts these girls and appears to love them as his daughters.  Although Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures probably didn't intend this message, the thought came to my mind today that we are all "despicable" due to sin, and yet God can take our despicable hearts and break them for a particular oppressed people.  For Liz and I, God has broken our despicable hearts for the orphan.  He regularly uses broken vessels to extend the joy of Christ.  In our case, we can't wait to introduce our little Congolese warrior to the Christ who died for his soul.  Why would we be so excited to complete this adoption?  Because God, through Christ, has rescued our despicable hearts by adopting us into his family.  Adoption is a picture of how God can take what was once abandoned, broken, and despicable and transform it into something that is glorious.

We are certainly not completely transformed, nor are we even on our last leg.  God has much work still to do in our hearts.  This is where we get the idea of a "despicable adoption."  The adoption journey itself is not despicable; in fact, it is remarkably glorious (even with the bumps).  This adoption journey is "despicable" because God is using obviously broken people to carry out his glorious purposes for the orphan.  I mentioned yesterday that God never changes and that part of his character is to execute justice for the orphan.  Using broken, "despicable" vessels to care for the orphan is but one way that God executes justice for the millions of orphans in the world today.  So, are we broken?  Yes.  Are we despicable?  Yes.  Does God have a bigger purpose using despicable people to carry out his glorious purposes?  Absolutely, YES!!!  So in some sense, if we think about it rightly, the title "Despicable Adoption" is exactly what Illumination had in mind with the title "Despicable Me."  We are thankful that God has chosen to use our family to defend the fatherless.  Broken people advocating for broken orphans in broken situations.  Needless to say, we are resting in the security of a Heavenly Father who takes what is broken and makes everything glorious.

In Christ,
Adam and Liz<><