This morning the Lord had me read 2 Samuel 4:4, introducing Mephibosheth - the lame son of Jonathan whom was rescued by his nurse after the death of his father and grandfather. In that very moment, he had become an orphan, and this woman stood in the gap attempting to rescue him, though her methods caused more distress and brokeness. Some years after he was taken away and kept safe in a different family and home (foster care), King David found about him (after asking if there was anyone left in King Saul's family that he could bless).
The generational blessing intended for him through his father and his grandfather was restored to him, once King David found out that he even existed. King David gave him inheritance from his father's line and heritage. Mephibosheth was not only restored to that lineage; he was also adopted into the King's family as one of King David's sons. How powerful is that?
How powerful would this lesson be in the lives of any child in foster care or adoptive care - the lesson and reality that the good things, the beneficial bloodline gifts and the adopted gifts and inheritance from a new family are true for each one?
Despite the crippled result of being taken from his biological family that Mephibosheth endured for the rest of his life, he was later treated like royalty because generationally and by adoption, he was royalty. He was an adult, not a little orphan boy any more (at least not physically). Yet, King David gave him what he had always needed - what had been forfeited from the night his nurse took him into "care" to the point where he lived with a different family to the point where he was restored to his rightful place in the Kingdom of David (as an adopted son). King David restored his identity by this one act of kindness in 2 Samuel 9.
This man started out as an orphan after losing his family, after death and loss entered in, but his story wasn't over. That is the powerful thing that must be translated through this story to children and youth today. The crippled orphan's story wasn't over. God is still writing it with the pen in His hand.
Although Mephibosheth entered life as a prince with royal blood, but because of certain dangerous and even selfish decisions made by his grandfather (which affected his father), he ended up in foster care (separated from his family but kept safe in "the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar"). The way the Bible describes the location where Mephibosheth was found indicates that he was always looked at as simply a member of the household but not part of the family. While he was kept safe and even given the chance to move on with his life, despite the losses of his childhood, there was always a sense of identity missing. The family he lived with never gave him an identity within their family's lineage nor did they celebrate him being King Saul's grandson.
But King David did. He did not treat Mephibosheth as the descendent of a king that disobeyed God. He reminded him that he did come from a royal line; he did come from a place of majesty. And not, only that, he accepted him as a King's kid.
For me, this is what foster parents and adoptive parents have to do for children that may be crippled by the foster care system. They have to restore their identities and also give them a future. This doesn't mean the process will be easy. It will take some convincing. King David even had to convince Mephibosheth that he was being placed in his rightful place simply because of who he was. How do we do this for children and youth that really have had their identities stripped due to circumstances and situations outside themselves?
I have to say, as a substitute parent, aunt, and former foster care worker that each time we do this, it is an individual work. Each child must have someone see them for who they are and love them simply because of who they are - not primarily because of who they are biologically related to, though I believe every family has a good inheritance (even if it has been forfeited). This is of supreme importance to the next generation - particularly those living in Lo-debar. This is what the call to care really means.
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