This is a great story. I am trying to find out what type of support exists for families that adopt transracially.

Do you have any information?

Thanks, Brandi

Three bibical characters came to mind: Tamar (Gen. 38; Matt. 1:3), Rahab the prostitute (Josh. 2:1 and Matt. 1:5), and Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11 and Matt. 1:6). All three women are listed in the geneaology of Jesus the Messiah. Matthew lists Tamar but doesn’t mention anything about the story of her pregnancy. Everyone in Matthew’s intended audience would have been well aware of the circumstances of her pregancy, though. He lists Rahab but doesn’t say anything about her pre-Boaz past. But, again, everyone reading his Gospel would have been well aware of it.

But with Bathsheba Matthew writes, “And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah” (1:6). Matthew puts it out there for all to read; and in so doing He shines a spotlight on the wonderful thing God brought out of these situations, namely, Jesus, the one who came to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). One of the things that I think is incredible about Matthew’s presentation of Jesus’ geneology is that there’s no attempt at cover-up. One lesson Matthew’s geneaology teaches us is that when God’s grace and mercy is at work, there’s no need for cover-up. These situations become an opportunity to make much of Jesus, who not only can sympathize with our sordid past because of his geneaological past, but also works for our great good (and the great good of others) through them. This is good news.

Thanks, Dorothy, for your transparent sharing. It has served me well this morning as it provided me with the opportunity to rehearse the gospel in a way I would not have today otherwise.