When I was a teenager, I remember my mom was very distraught that a young doctor and his wife were killed in a car accident, leaving their five young children orphans. She told my dad she wanted to adopt those children. My dad, being less emotional and a little more prudent, suggested, “Let’s wait and see.” A week later, my mom was relieved to learn the children’s grandparents had taken them in.

So we know about the physical orphans of this world who had no choice in the matter. But what about the billions of people in this world who chose to be spiritual orphans? There are approximately 8.27 billion people on this planet. Of those, about 2.6 billion (around 31–32%) identify as Christians. Only God knows and sees the truth in our hearts. But how many politicians present themselves as Christians and support abortion on demand? I think there are many people who conveniently identify themselves as Christians but view God as a distant deity. I am going out on a limb and propose that there are far fewer “authentic” Christians in the world. My definition of “authentic” is: people who place God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit first in their lives. I am going to use The Pareto Principle to deduce that 20% of the 2.6 billion people who identify as Christian are actually true Christians.

By my math, roughly 80% of the world’s population has volunteered to be spiritually orphaned. Over 6.5 billion people have chosen the darkness over God’s light.

Of course, they do not consider themselves orphans. Many are productive citizens of this world, esteemed in their careers, loved by many, enjoying the accolades of their peers, and content with all that comes with it. They have embraced all the bells and whistles this world has to offer. They have given little attention or thought to what happens when they finally close their eyes for the last time in this world. They fail to discern that all the bling-bling this world has to offer is, at best, temporary. They commit themselves to a world that is fickle, temporary, and does not reciprocate with the same commitment. The closest this world has to unconditional love is your dog—that is, until someone else offers him a slice of bacon. God is the ONLY unconditional love.

Pastor Joby Martin of The Eleven 22 Church frequently speaks of “kid pain.” Pastor Joby is well aware of the many adult children who have turned away from God. Only a prodigal parent knows the pain of an unbelieving son or daughter. They well know the pain God must experience when His children abandon Him—when they turn away from Him and choose the darkness of this world over the everlasting light of His world.

“But whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
– Matthew 10:33

The cost of not pursuing a true relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is darkness. The world has overwhelmingly chosen to orphan themselves from the Creator, their Father in heaven.

“…if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” – 2 Timothy 2:13

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul was quoting part of a hymn early Christians used to sing. If someone falls away from God, it does not change who God is—He remains faithful.

If you were a prodigal son or daughter, please share your story. If you are an unbeliever or on the fence, please give God a chance. He loves you and wants you back in His family.

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