Today is “Sanctity of Life Sunday.” I understand why we label days and try to focus on something important that day. But my gut rebels. I don’t rebel against proclaiming life sacred. What I do rebel against is this: for many, this day will be one of prayer for the sanctity of life at both ends of the spectrum, honoring the unborn and the aged and recognizing their sacred value before God, acknowledging the horror of abortion, and then Monday, they will go back to their regular programming.
Cities4Life won’t have a flood of volunteers emailing to stand alongside us on the sidewalks in front of the abortion centers offering real hope and help to abortion-minded women. Nursing homes won’t have slews of visitors to their elderly residents. Adult children won’t pick up the phone and pledge to call their lonely parents on a regular basis. In short, we will have felt we showed how much we value life by participating in the events of Sanctity of Life Sunday, and feel our duty is done.
We will pray, we will march, we will sing in church...and then next year on this day, we will remember and honor the sanctity of life once again.
Do we really proclaim the sanctity of life by marching in droves if we go home, lay down our signs, and do NOTHING to actually provide the help and encouragement to women on the verge of abortion so they don’t follow through with it? I have nothing against the marches, and I know many wonderful folks very active in pro-life work who attended recent pro-life marches.
But I want to issue a challenge to you. Is it enough to pray for the end of abortion...and then do nothing to help in ministries that have success turning women from abortion? Is it enough to say the elderly deserve our respect and are of sacred value and then know that there are so many sitting all alone hour after hour in a nursing home day after day, year after year, without a single visitor? If you truly believe in the sanctity of life, how are you helping to promote it?
One reader of my blog regarding a post about helping abortion-minded moms commented that he would rather reach people for the Gospel...then deal with abortion. I would say: why would you not do both? 20-30 babies die EVERY day at just the one abortion center in my one city where our group ministers.
The Bible says: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
Jesus Himself tells us that if we see a neighbor in need, we are to meet it...not just pray about it:
““Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.””
Matthew 25:37-46 NIV
What we do for the least of us, we do for Christ. DO pray. Prayer is critical. But don’t JUST pray. DO march to show solidarity for the desire to end the slaughter of the unborn. But don’t JUST march. God is clear that we are to take action.
I am eagerly awaiting the flood of volunteers. Click HERE for information on how to help stem the tide of babies being led to the slaughter of abortion.
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Totally agree - Once a year, we do a baby bottle change month at our church. But that's it - I never get an inquiry, or any other form of interest in the pro-life issue. I've never heard the preacher use the word 'abortion' in a sermon. So approx $800+/- a year - I have to invite, remind, ask re Walk for Life or the Banquet - but very few ever participate. I couldn't see the point of handing out brochures today - and I probably wouldn't be allowed to anyway - it's not the 'right' month for this project. It reminds me of the Germans who sang their hymns louder because they didn't want to hear the screaming Jews as the trains went past. Only difference - we can't hear the silent screams of the innocent babies as their mother's womb becomes their tomb.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced just what you describe. I don’t mean to discourage with this post but hopefully to encourage those who are not involved in this pivotal issue of our age to do something to promote a culture of life in your city. To be silent on this is wrong in my opinion.
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