Originally posted in May, 2010
Never underestimate the value, purpose, and potential of a life.
Last week I read a gut wrenching blog over at Conspiracy of Hope. It was about the Nazi's Action T4, which was a government created euthanasia of people with special needs and disabilities. To gain support for this program, the Nazis placed a price on life. For each of these lives terminated, the government would save X amount of money. And it worked: over 200,000 were killed.
Reading this sickened me. Going to work each day and being surrounded by these precious lives makes is so personal. Their lives are priceless. How could anyone not recognize this? But, of course, that was the Nazis, and we all know how horrible they were, right?
But then, the same day, I was reading the local newspaper. There was a letter to the editor. I don't remember the title, but it caught my eye. And before I knew it I sat there frozen: Frozen with anger, shock, and fear.
A man wrote in about abortion, and to my horror, he summed up his letter by saying that abortion saves the government X amount of money for each life it takes (assuming most of them would be supported by welfare). And guess what? He wasn't a Nazi. He was an American (I won't assume his political party). And according to an earlier statement in his letter, he was a Christian.
Does anyone else feel the overwhelming need to throw up right now?
I know there is so much controversy about abortion, even in the church. But guess what else I know?
God does not create life on accident.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:13-16
A life is a life. Whether unborn or born, physically disabled or physical perfection, delayed or genius, it is life. And no one can put a price on that.
He creates each child with care, and entrusts them to grow inside a carefully selected woman. He knows each one of his children intimately, and he knows all the wonderful ways this mother and child can learn from each other.
The role of a mother, most would agree, is the most influential role that exists. They are entrusted to love and nurture and grow this beautiful life. I am sure in some circumstances this can be painful, and this can be scary. But instead of supporting them and encouraging them and allowing them to be moved and changed by the child, either for nine months or a lifetime, we offer them a way out.
The problem with this? The problem is the one who has been entrusted to nurture this life has been given a choice, and instead of nourishment there is destruction. And society says it is okay. And sometimes society even says it is good.
It is death.
But because we will never be given a chance to hear so many voices and see so many faces, it makes it so easy for society to justify. That is until we get to heaven.
And I imagine at that time someone will ask God why he allowed people to suffer with AIDS and cancer and so many other diseases. Why was there no cure for these things? Why did he allow so much evil and murder in the world?
And at that time God will bring forward some of these priceless lives, and some of the voices that never had a chance to be heard on earth. And they will each have a name. And they will each have a voice.
And God will call one forward by name and the child will say, "My name is Simon. In my life I would have found the cure for cancer. But my mother was given a choice."
Then he will bring forward another face and she will say, "I am Ruth. I was created with a love for the broken and a courageous heart. I would have led many dictators to the Lord, and the lives of many would have been spared. But my mother was given a choice."
Then another, and he will say, "I am Paul. I hold the cure for AIDS. But my mother was given a choice."
Then another, and another, and another, and they will all say, "But my mother was given a choice...."
And she chose death.
Never underestimate the value, purpose, and potential of a life.
Last week I read a gut wrenching blog over at Conspiracy of Hope. It was about the Nazi's Action T4, which was a government created euthanasia of people with special needs and disabilities. To gain support for this program, the Nazis placed a price on life. For each of these lives terminated, the government would save X amount of money. And it worked: over 200,000 were killed.
Reading this sickened me. Going to work each day and being surrounded by these precious lives makes is so personal. Their lives are priceless. How could anyone not recognize this? But, of course, that was the Nazis, and we all know how horrible they were, right?
But then, the same day, I was reading the local newspaper. There was a letter to the editor. I don't remember the title, but it caught my eye. And before I knew it I sat there frozen: Frozen with anger, shock, and fear.
A man wrote in about abortion, and to my horror, he summed up his letter by saying that abortion saves the government X amount of money for each life it takes (assuming most of them would be supported by welfare). And guess what? He wasn't a Nazi. He was an American (I won't assume his political party). And according to an earlier statement in his letter, he was a Christian.
Does anyone else feel the overwhelming need to throw up right now?
I know there is so much controversy about abortion, even in the church. But guess what else I know?
God does not create life on accident.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:13-16
A life is a life. Whether unborn or born, physically disabled or physical perfection, delayed or genius, it is life. And no one can put a price on that.
He creates each child with care, and entrusts them to grow inside a carefully selected woman. He knows each one of his children intimately, and he knows all the wonderful ways this mother and child can learn from each other.
The role of a mother, most would agree, is the most influential role that exists. They are entrusted to love and nurture and grow this beautiful life. I am sure in some circumstances this can be painful, and this can be scary. But instead of supporting them and encouraging them and allowing them to be moved and changed by the child, either for nine months or a lifetime, we offer them a way out.
The problem with this? The problem is the one who has been entrusted to nurture this life has been given a choice, and instead of nourishment there is destruction. And society says it is okay. And sometimes society even says it is good.
It is death.
But because we will never be given a chance to hear so many voices and see so many faces, it makes it so easy for society to justify. That is until we get to heaven.
And I imagine at that time someone will ask God why he allowed people to suffer with AIDS and cancer and so many other diseases. Why was there no cure for these things? Why did he allow so much evil and murder in the world?
And at that time God will bring forward some of these priceless lives, and some of the voices that never had a chance to be heard on earth. And they will each have a name. And they will each have a voice.
And God will call one forward by name and the child will say, "My name is Simon. In my life I would have found the cure for cancer. But my mother was given a choice."
Then he will bring forward another face and she will say, "I am Ruth. I was created with a love for the broken and a courageous heart. I would have led many dictators to the Lord, and the lives of many would have been spared. But my mother was given a choice."
Then another, and he will say, "I am Paul. I hold the cure for AIDS. But my mother was given a choice."
Then another, and another, and another, and they will all say, "But my mother was given a choice...."
And she chose death.
