The first month of 2013 marked a 40th anniversary that many observed but no one should have celebrated. Yet much of our national media didn’t do much to remind us of the January, 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. It’s been an ugly business for 40 years, with passionate arguments that still divide us.
We don’t typically discuss the issue of abortion. Yet a civil conversation is the least we could do in remembrance of the estimated 55 million of our smallest and weakest—no longer among us.
People of faith obviously don’t have a corner on love and compassion. But Christians—mainly Catholics and Evangelical Protestants—have overwhelmingly kept abortion rights from resting comfortably. So what does faith have to do with standing up for the unborn?
Poverty and disability are now considered justifications for abortion. Those Jesus referred to as the least of these are viewed as having little to offer in a culture that values wealth, strength and beauty. But Christ instructed his followers to make provision for the poor and the sick. His admonitions led to the establishment of hospitals, all historically connected to churches.
Jesus introduced uncomfortable topics of conversation so that our eyes might be opened to a better way. When invited to dine at a prestigious man’s house, he said to his host: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you” (Luke 14:13; ESV).
People once brought their children—even infants—to be touched by Jesus. His disciples viewed the children as distractions from more important things. But the Lord corrected them: “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:15-16).
Having children can dramatically affect our lives. Sadly, we might regard children as a hindrance to our personal pursuits. This self-centered thinking adds to the numbers of aborted children. How many of the million-plus babies aborted last year lost their lives for the sake of their parents?
Sticking points regarding reasonable causes for abortion won’t go away. Rape is one. Yet a man rarely loses his life for that crime. In Ezekiel 18:20, the Lord says “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father . . . .” Imagine a rapist being marched down to a local clinic to have the life drained out of him by a physician. Are we better than that type of justice? It’s a somewhat upside-down perspective that disdains such callous bloodshed.
Abortion could be on the decline in the U.S. The numbers indicate a decrease in recent years. Another positive: many states now require a woman considering abortion to first listen to the heartbeat of her unborn child. Ultrasound and other advances often change a woman’s heart and mind.
There’s something hopeful too about the number 40. God judged mankind with 40 days of rain in the days of Noah. Moses spent 40 days on the mountain with God. The Israelites wandered 40 years in the desert. Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days.
Forty seems to represent finality. Enough.
Blue Ribbon News special contributor Patti Richter works as journalist, writing news and feature stories, book reviews and more for many Christian publications. She lives in Heath with her husband Jim.
Read more by Patti Richter:
Beholding wonders
Straight ahead – in the wrong direction
Heat and Ice: God’s Hot-Cold Therapy for Spiritual Stiffness?
God’s not-so-random acts of kindness
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