Last time in the vineyard I shared about the adventure of name changes. Obviously because I was a 3 month old baby, my transition was going to be easy compared to that of my older brother who was over 4 years old when he faced this. Because I was a part of a closed adoption my folks only had a first name and it was Caroline Sue. Selecting a name would be of great debate between my folks. My mother wanted to name me Eve after her mother but my Dad said he had been prayerful and felt Sharon was to be my name. He had read where roses bloomed in the desert in the plains of Sharon in Israel.Dad said I was Their rose God sent special delivery and I bloomed in their desert. Mom said she couldn’t argue with that, so I was given the name Sharon Michelle. Years later in one of our theological discussions and there were many, my dad relayed that Sharon was a derivative of Sarah which means “princess.” My former name “Caroline” comes from the french meaning “free man.” My father believed deeply that names were important and said I should never forget both meanings. Ironically, my lullaby was a song that my Dad taught me that was entitled, “Child of the King.” This would be a reference point many times through the years of my life and foundational in my spiritual walk.
Having a name settled is one phase of living the chosen life but then we come to identity and looks. Family resemblance is an issue that will arise. I think its important to remember that God’s perfect plan was for man to remain in perfect fellowship with Him. However, the fall changed that and God already the “Chooser” had a plan of redemption and adoption for us. Out of Christ’s sacrifice, As a result God brought wholeness out of our brokenness. I feel it is important to grasp that adoption gets its grassroots in brokenness on earth. It isn’t in God’s perfect plan that children be born outside of marriage, abandoned in marketplaces in China, or abused and left in a number of places. It wasn’t God’s plan for families to be separated, but aren’t we so thankful that out of this brokenness, the heart of the Chooser had a plan for children like others and me to be given an opportunity to be loved and reach our maximum potential. This is GRACE!
Nonetheless, not looking like folks can and does bring moments of sadness. It helped that my Dad acknowledged this. My mom had more difficulty with the painful parts, and she told almost no one we were adopted. Years later she shared it was probably easier for Dad because he wasn’t barren. This is a good reminder for us all that old wounds heal slowly. My wound of not looking like others took time to heal. I had the blessing of being the youngest granddaughter on both sides of my family. Most of my Dad’s people were dark haired and dark eyed due to their french/indian background. On this side of the family, I had a set of double first cousins as a result of my Dad’s two sisters marrying 2 brothers. They each had several children who looked more like siblings than cousins and as children do, bragged of their special genetic status. Although we were all close, occasionally I would be reminded I didn’t look like the others by sharp unbridled tongues of childhood. One day while working in the garden, I shared this plight with Dad. I was six at the time and asked him, “Who do I look like?”. Dad paused and replied “You’re right, you don’t look like the others, you look like God.” He got up, washed his hands, took me to his lap and opened the bible in the house and read Genesis 1:26 “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
Dad said you were chosen to look like God. This went a long way in satisfying my 6 y.o. inquisitive mind, He would expound that all of us are made in God’s image and were offered to be “chosen.” But Dad said I had a secret that he knew! I had been chosen twice! I never forgot that encounter and it carried me through some tough moments.
Because we live in a world where abortion has been legalized and embraced by the mainstream, it is often easy to dismiss the struggles adoption brings. Of course the scriptures are adamantly truthful that all life is sacred including the unborn. My own birth mother said she might have considered this option if it had been available. Thank God for the gift of life! Having settled that, I eventually allowed myself to embrace the brokenness that accompanied my adoption, and it was the catalyst for deeper revelation about the character of God. His ability to transform, to create, to heal, to set right and make the crooked way straight fills my heart with joy and gratitude and my mouth with praise. This inspires me to continue with the strength of the Holy Spirit to “look like God.” I carry His name and am a part of His family. The greatest honor to Him would be for me to pursue the things like love, forgiveness, kindness and charity that Christ taught identifies us with Him.
5oclockworker.com 