Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)
Expanded Passage: John 1:10-13
Within one of the first few weeks of kindergarten, my teacher informed the class that we would be adopting a penguin. She put a jar for money on her desk and asked each of us to contribute throughout the year. On Fridays my parents gave me 25 cents for ice cream and, because I thought that adopting a penguin would be the coolest thing in the world, I donated my ice cream money every week. Halfway through the year, we visited the penguins at the zoo and I remember the sheer excitement that I felt as we walked up to the penguin exhibit. I looked in and asked my teacher, “So which one are we adopting as our new class pet?” I do not remember her words, but I remember the disappointment I felt the moment I learned that adoption did not mean we were bringing a penguin to school with us.
Those who accept Christ become a part of the family of God, but not by adoption. John says that we are actually born of God. We call it being “born again.” We become brother or sister to other believers and children of the Creator. The change in status is a fundamental change in identity and is brought about through belief and acceptance.
Fulfill your role as a child of God today.
Scott Donahue-Martens is a clinical chaplain and served on staff at a Wesleyan church in Massachusetts.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
