.As I talk with others about our call to adopt, I often hear, "you are such a good person" or "I am so proud of you." When I hear these accolades, I do not know how to respond. No matter what I say, it somehow becomes about me. Replying with a simple "thank you" sends the message, "I appreciate your recognition that I am a good person." But adoption is not about me as a parent. Rather, adoption is about providing a loving home for a child and, ultimately, glorifying Christ and living out the Great Commission.
The irony is that even responding truthfully somehow becomes about me. If, instead of "thank you," I said "I feel God has called our family to adopt and I am just following His direction for my life," I appear self-righteous, because it implies "I am more in tune with God than you are." So I am left searching for a response that directs the attention away from me and onto Christ.
If I falter or fail to respond when you bestow unjust accolades, please forgive me. If I seem arrogant or self-righteous, grant me forgiveness in that too. I am still learning how to divert the focus away from me and to instead boast in the Lord.
2 comments:
Lately I've just been saying "I try" when people say stuff like that. I don't know if it sounds any less self-righteous or any less about me. I just figure it's much better than saying 'thank you.' It doesn't divert the focus to God but it at least somewhat doesn't show pride (or at least I don't think so). I never know what people think when I say this, though.
My response is, "It's the least I can do - it's such a small step to solving the problem". I feel like that communicates how I feel about the problem (it is HUGE) and that I don't expect any unusual praise for what I feel SHOULD be an ordinary decision.
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