I can't shake this movie. For those who haven't seen the preview, watch it (click here). Then, go see the movie - it's exactly what and, at the same time, not what you expect. It is such a powerful and important message. For me, this has been a topic of passion since before I was a believer, and I praise the Lord that a group of people had the resources, story and grit to get something out to the masses that effectively communicates this message.
I'm just going to jump right in: abortion. What abortion truly is, at least in the eyes of those who are supporting it, gets overshadowed by it being seen as a "partisan" argument. It gets overshadowed by being seen as a "Christian" unwavering view. It gets overshadowed by being seen as "anti-women's rights" (FYI I love women. I am one. I believe we are capable to make our choices, work where we want to work, marry the man we wish to marry, raise our kids as we see fit...I am not in any capacity against women, I just see that there are two people in this equation so I cannot ignore one for the sake of the other). This act is being overshadowed and hidden by side subjects, sweeping statements and misinformation. Abortion, being a human rights issue, is being seen as an angry debate point and not for what it truly is.
And let me clarify this, too: everyone involved in the abortion industry is not evil; everyone who has had an abortion is not maliciously doing so. They are not all intentionally doing something they know to be bad. I believe the idea of abortion actually started with some good intention. Something they truly believed would help humanity. And there was innocence and benevolence there. There was genuine belief that there was no life, that what they were removing was no more than an organ, or blob of tissue. I believe that these people, at first and many still now, believe they were truly doing good, and making the womens' lives better by taking away what would be a burden.
But they aren't. It isn't good. And it's extremely hard to change minds on this subject. Some may seem impossible to shake. It's expected though - when a segment of people is dehumanized, it takes drastic measures to change this point-of-view. History tells us this: It took a WAR to end slavery. It took a WAR to end mass genocide in Germany against the Jewish people. When there is such a strong blindness to the truth...it creates WAR within and around us to change that blindness to sight. My prayer is that this WAR for the rights of these babies is peaceful and swift, and enough people can lay down pride and say "I was wrong. Now I know. Let's change this".
I could get on a soap box about how we try to stand on something so firmly and not budge without acknowledging the reality that we will never know everything. Period. I talked into this in my "Doubt" post. Spiritually and historically, there are some things we will never comprehend, and those are things we cannot let roadblock us from the solid foundation and absolute truth of our faith in Jesus. And on this physical earth, we have to understand that we will learn things that will combat what we thought we knew before. Some people choose to not grow when these things are revealed. And I'm sorry about that truth, but it is the truth. Pride keeps us from growth, it actually leads to our fall. And hey, look over here. I struggle with pride, too. It's what kept me in darkness for so long. I strive to continually put it aside to walk the way I am called to - and it's super easy. (In case you missed the sarcasm, it isn't easy, friend. It is a long road of continuous refocus and humility)
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Over and over again, in the Bible, it talks about our boasting in Christ. Not in ourselves, our knowledge, our intellect, our works. This world is hard enough to navigate without pride cramping our legs in the race so we get stuck somewhere destructive.
Here are some fun examples about how we make sweeping statements because we think we know absolutely: how about the world of diets: eat eggs, don't eat eggs, no carbs, eat these right carbs, eat lots of fat, don't eat fat...you get it right? We. don't. know. This is clear. Being a mom, I just think about how sleeping babies on their bellies was the safest thing they could do, and now we understand that back sleeping is actually significantly safer and prevents SIDS numbers like we could have never imagined. Or, perhaps car seats is a good example: my mom, lovingly, used to let me ride in her lap in the front seat, and our grandparents used to have the kids freely crawling around their backseat...well now, we very well know that we need much more protection, to the point of sitting backward, in the car to make sure our babies are safe. I am very aware that there are things I am consuming today, doing today or thinking today about this world that I will learn isn't spot on. Isn't healthy or right for me. My prayer is that the Lord gives me wisdom to shift where needed.
Well, we are in need of a shift as a society: there is now clear information from science that reveals to us that what we used to think about a fetus is simply not true. It has unique strands of DNA from the moment of conception. It has a heart beat shortly after conception - which our declaration of death is lack-there-of...so, scientifically, a heart beat is unarguably presence of life. It has every organ formed before the time of 12 weeks gestation. It is a baby. It is a person. And as much as the woman carrying that baby needs and deserves rights...that baby does, too. It is the most vulnerable of our population, and has no voice to protect itself or make any choice. It has no choice in it's life. It has no choice in it's death. And I believe with all my heart, that my Creator - the one who so graciously put a beating heart in my chest and air in my lungs once my mom carried me to term - well, that same Creator who makes man in His own image, put a beating heart in each perfect, unique human inside each and every woman's womb. It breaks His heart when we murder the innocent that we can see clearly walking around...and it equally breaks His heart when we kill the ones we choose to not acknowledge because we can somehow detach their humanity because we can't look them in the eyes, they don't have a name yet, we cannot hold them because they are still being nourished and grown by the woman carrying them. There is no difference to Him, and so why does it make a difference to us?
So here's the deal. If you are on the opposite side of the issue as me, all I ask is that you pray about it, then seek more information for yourself. If you've had one, you serve a merciful and forgiving God who loves you unconditionally - seek healing. If you are on the same side of this issue, pray about it. Ask the Lord to lift up more people to lovingly share the truth. Yes, our God is just and we should seek justice, but our God is the perfect definition of love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. And He doesn't set those characteristics aside to be just. He is all who He is in total completeness all at once. We are called to that very same thing. So lay down the anger, and look to enlighten with love and forgiveness instead of hate and condemnation.
For everyone, look into the ways people are coming together to offer resources and help, opportunities for adoption, fostering and caring for the moms who keep the baby to raise. Step 1 is seeing the life at stake, yes, and step 2 is just as important: taking measures to make sure it is loved and cared for once born. Approach the issue with humility and an honest heart that is willing to change and help. Don't let pride keep you on the wrong side of the issue or in an angry place on the right side. Go see the movie. This true story is so eye opening (even for someone like me who has been passionately pro-life as long as I can remember). It's important for all to see.