The Eyes of an Orphan

I was watching a video today and something that was said struck a chord with me, so I decided I needed to write about it. This woman in the video is an adoptive mom (through foster care and internationally) and she was reflecting on photos of her adopted daughter. She said that when they met their daughter she had the eyes of an orphan and that seeing her daughter's spirit come alive has been incredible.
I know what she means by that. Every single one of the children we've brought into our home have had the same look. Even the newborns. These little kids (and the big ones too) haven't known stability, they've been moved around, they have been treated badly by the adults they innately trusted to care for them, or they are a new baby who is just learning what the world is and they have been taken away from the only voices/noises/environment they've ever known.
Here's the crazy part, I don't notice it at first. I look at them and I see a beautiful child who needs our love and care. I see a beautiful person who is made in the image of God, but who doesn't know that yet. I see the person they are and the person they will become. I see them experience peace and joy and eventually I see them start to trust us. But I don't see the orphan eyes until they've been with us for awhile and I look back at pictures from when they first came to us. And then my heart breaks and leaps for joy all at the same time. My heart breaks because when I see those eyes, the eyes of an orphan, I know the tragedy and pain in their past. My heart leaps for joy because when I look at them sitting next to me or playing, I know the hope and joy that they now possess.
We see so much progress in the children we care for.  I literally see spiritual chains fall of of these children when they step into our home and come under our love/care. But what I didn't truly realize until today is that what I am witnessing is an orphan becoming a son or a daughter. And it isn't just a physical transformation. It is a transformation that will last a lifetime, even if they aren't with us for their entire life. It is a reflection of the invitation the Lord invites us to.
God invites us to know Him as Lord, but also as Father. He looks at people living out of a place of being an orphan, and invites us to become daughters and sons. How incredible is that!? He looks at our eyes, the eyes of an orphan, sees the potential for a change in our identity, and says "I have a better way, become my son/daughter". I am so grateful for that invitation from Him and I am so thankful to be able to live out a calling that allows us to be a reflection of Him to each child who comes into our home. I want to see people of all ages go from people with the eyes of an orphan to people who possess joy, hope, peace, and love that only comes from knowing they are a daughter or son of the most high God.
From an orphan to a son/daughter, what a transformation to witness, be a part of, and experience. There is nothing like it.