“Love child, never meant to be,

Love child, scorned by society,

Love child, always second best,

Love child, different from the rest.”

 

Love child. I’ve been thinking about Diana Ross’ 1968 Motown song all day. A “love child” is a euphemism for a child born out of wedlock. Surely the worst case is when the father denies the child. After years of strenuous denials, former North Carolina senator and presidential candidate John Edwards admitted not only an affair with campaign videographer Rielle Hunter, but also paternity for Ms. Hunter’s daughter Frances Quinn. Edwards had actually arranged that a staffer of his named Andrew Young would step forward and claim paternity. But the truth finally came out, and that finally snapped it for Edwards’ wife of 32 years, Elizabeth, herself suffering from breast cancer. She filed for separation.

 

Love child. In 2001, after months of strenuous denials, Jesse Jackson admitted that the daughter, Ashley, born in 1998 to Rainbow/PUSH staffer Karin Stanford was his. Allegations of payoffs to Stanford using PUSH funds were never proven.

 

Love child. When record-setting geriatric senator Strom Thurmond (R., S.C.) passed away in 2003, an “unknown” daughter stepped forward. Essie Mae Washington-Williams claimed Thurmond as her father. The family admitted that Thurmond had fathered a child via an African American servant girl named Carrie Butler in 1925, and that for all those years he had concealed his paternity.

 

Love child. King David uses all his royal clout and guile to pretend that Bathsheba’s baby was her husband Uriah’s. In fact it was his. The child died.

 

I write these words not to pile on the sinners. It’s easy to pick on famous people who have fallen. I write to grieve with Frances Quinn and Ashley and Essie and all children whose fathers didn’t claim them. I am grateful that my own father claims me, and I have a hug for every child whose father doesn’t.

 

I just thought you should know that through your baptism, your heavenly Father is proud to acknowledge you. I hope you are just as proud of Him.

 

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Straight talk.  Real hope.

4/2/2010 - Posted by L
I appreciate the reminder of being "His" love child, especially during this Easter season.

2/1/2010 - Posted by JD
I have peace knowing my Heavenly Father loves me, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made! I never knew my earthly father, but I continue to be blessed having family and friends who love me just as I am. I am a love child, filled with HIS love, by grace. We can all be thankful for our God, who loves each and every one of us so much to sacrifice His son, Jesus, to restore a broken relationship. God has a purpose for us...whether we know our earthly father or not. I eagerly await the day, with open arms, when He welcomes me home. Until then, I read his letters , and talk with Him via knee-mail.