50 Bible Verses about Foster Care

Foster care, a journey of providing sanctuary and love to those in need of a family, mirrors the Biblical call to care for the vulnerable and the voiceless. It is a profound embodiment of love in action.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress,” James 1:27 articulates, encapsulating the essence of foster care in its purest form. This verse, and many others in the Bible, encourage us to extend our compassion and resources to those who yearn for the warmth of a family.

The scriptures are replete with examples of nurturing and protective care akin to modern foster care. The story of Moses, sheltered and raised by the daughter of Pharaoh, offers an early example of providing care and protection to a vulnerable child. Similarly, Esther, raised by her cousin Mordecai, illustrates the transformative impact of a caring and supportive guardian.

In emphasizing the importance of foster care, the Bible calls us to a higher standard of love and responsibility.

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me,” Mark 9:37 reminds us, asserting that in caring for children, we are serving Christ Himself. This perspective shifts foster care from an act of charity to a profound spiritual practice, a living testament to unconditional love and grace.

The Bible also speaks to the challenges and rewards of foster care. It acknowledges the sacrifices made and the resilience required, while promising divine support and guidance.

“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing,” Deuteronomy 10:18 declares, offering reassurance of God’s special concern for the vulnerable, including children in foster care.

In this compilation of 50 Bible verses about foster care, we delve into the heart of what it means to provide a haven for those in need of a family. These verses shine a light on the noble calling of foster care, inspiring and guiding those who have opened their hearts and homes to children in need. May these scriptures encourage and strengthen you as you partake in this beautiful and sacred journey of love and care.

Compassion for the Vulnerable

Psalm 82:3

“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”

James 1:27

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Exodus 22:22-24

“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.”

Isaiah 1:17

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

Deuteronomy 10:18

“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.”

Proverbs 31:8-9

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Jeremiah 22:3

“This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Matthew 18:5

“And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

Job 29:12

“because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.

Responsibility to Care for Others

Galatians 6:2

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Luke 10:30-37

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught about caring for those in need, regardless of their background or status.

1 John 3:17-18

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Proverbs 14:31

“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

Luke 14:13-14

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Acts 20:35

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

1 Timothy 5:8

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Hebrews 13:16

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Romans 12:13

“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

1 Peter 4:10

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

The Blessing of Caring for Children

Mark 9:37

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Psalm 68:5-6

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Matthew 19:14

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'”

Proverbs 17:6

“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.”

Psalm 127:3-5

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”

2 Kings 4:1-7

“The story of Elisha and the widow’s oil illustrates the provision and care for a widow and her sons, showing God’s concern for the vulnerable and providing for them in miraculous ways.

Matthew 25:35-40

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Psalm 146:9

“The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”

Proverbs 19:17

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”

Isaiah 58:6-7

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

Luke 9:48

“Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.'”

Ephesians 6:4

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 14:29

“So that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”

Psalm 113:9

“He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord!”

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”