We had part 2 of our home study today and met with the Social Worker again (one of them was sick so it was just us and the lady we met with the very first time).
This time I got interrogated on my seemingly fanatical determination to do God’s will and to obey Him. She literally directed all of her questions to me for about a half an hour specifically on why I would mention God so much in my short biography of myself and why I would do what He wants me to do and don’t I have any say over my own life. WELL, let me just tell you that got me going and at least it was like an open door, but at the same time I had to choose my words carefully both because some of my everyday vocabulary wouldn’t really make sense to her, plus sometimes the way I talk about what it is to be a Christian may sound way too “radical” for someone who has no concept of Christianity whatsoever. I mean, Jesus does ask us to take up our cross and die, and to eat His flesh and drink His blood (no, I did not mention these things). But she just couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that I want to do whatever God wants me to do. She almost kept asking the same question over and over in different phrasings, until finally she realized that I have given my life to God, who created me, and who knows what is best for me, and therefore all of my decisions are based on the relationship I have with God and what I feel and hear Him telling me to do. And that His heart and desires have become my own through that relationship. It would have helped if I could have just gone through the whole gospel with her right there and then, but that chance didn’t really present itself, and so instead I had to explain something that makes such total sense to me to someone who has never heard anything like that in her whole life. It was an interesting experience.
Otherwise the whole thing was extremely positive. She was VERY encouraging and told us we really seem like we have thought through all of this far more than any of the other couples she has talked with. What an answer to prayer! God is good!
The next meeting on October 18th is the four hour long interview, which will later be interpreted by a clinical psychologist. I wonder if he, too, will find me a bit, well, RADICAL!!!!!!
8 kommentarer:
Good for you for answering her questions without backing down or minimizing the importance of your faith. What did Niklas think of the exchange between you and the social worker?
while i appreciate "keeping it real" jesus-wise...be careful of other people's stupidity in this very delicate process.
the sage-like brother
I wondered if this would come up in the process. I am interested how God will use it. I love being called radical for God, but could such a label steal a child from me. That would hurt.
Niklas and I were discussing the conversation afterwards, and we realized that if the social worker sees God as Allah, for example, then she thinks of some tyrannical entity who demands blind obedience based on punishment and reward (you know, the virgins in the afterlife).
But we tried to get across that the God we serve and follow has only our best interests and future at heart and that we obey Him because we have gotten to know what He is like through a relationship with Him in which we have discovered that He is amazingly and solely good.
Hmm...it's given me a lot to reflect on...I need to get even better at explaining to people why I live my life the way I do, especially to people who have no background in Christianity whatsoever.
I am one inclined to think that as long as you are speaking Truth, God's will is going to prevail. Just keep following His leading and trust that He will be the translator and filter between your mouth and their ears.
Glad to hear the process is moving along so quickly!
Hey, I hope your interviews go well!!
Mary, mom to many
I agree with Jenny--I don't really think it's the social workers who will give you a baby anyway. When you become parents and who you will parent is ordained by God and you're just getting a chance to be unashamed of your faith and share your faith in this process.
Praise God that you are prepared in and out of season to give an answer for why you believe! And God bless you for not watering down your faith.
Perhaps, somewhere in South Africa, there is a Christian woman who is praying that God place her baby in the arms of another Christian woman who will raise him or her in the faith--not a watered down or weak faith, but a true love for Jesus.
Praying!
Your social worker probably has read much about John Locke's "Reasonableness" about unfounded freedom for humans - a tainted revision of the Christian position about the relationship of humans to the External God of glory.
:-}NOIE
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