His Hand is on the Door

More Valuable - the Living or the Unborn?

October 14th, 2008

Here’s a bit of a conversation I had recently related to an exchange about Obama and the issue of abortion…

First, the comment I responded to:

See thats just it, not MY thinking, not my understanding, God called me to the ministry that I do, and put on my heart to share the burden of those walking, living dead, in sin, to preach a gospel that gives them life in Christ.

I am fervently doing that so that my Lord will say WELL DONE, and my eyes will rejoice on that great getting up morning to see with HIM, the mothers now in glory reunited with all the souls of their little babies.

See if you could muster up just a jot of empathy, you could see the need of ministry to the mothers that have kill their little babies and are hurting.

How can you say you love them that you have not seen, and can’t help the ones you can see? 

Here is my response: 

I do appreciate that, and have ministered to and with those who have committed abortions - I have much compassion as we must for any who are in sin or seeking to be free from sin. Murdering your own child has a particularly devastating impact on one’s psyche and soul - I hate it; but have much compassion for the poor who feel trapped and hopeless.

It’s the same compassion I would have had for a Klansman in the 1960’s who was raised by rageful bigots and “knew not what he was doing”. The sin of racism and hatred was not excusable; changing the laws did not end racism. It did, however, begin to shift a culture. I think that was MLK Jr.’s point about the law and the heart related to the beatings he suffered. Would he rather have the heart? Sure. But he also fought for the law as well on the way to changing the heart - as one buys time for the other.

It’s also the same compassion I would have had for a slave owner in the 1860’s who was raised by wealthy landowners who argued about the devastation to the economy of the south and the “complex issues” surrounding the ending of slavery. I am thankful that, in England, William Wilberforce was not moved by such empty arguments - as noble and as lofty as some of them sounded. I am thankful that, in America, many were unmoved by political and economic rhetoric and fought for those who could not fight for themselves.

I think that it is a bogus and strange argument to pit the unborn against the born in legitimizing who is more worthy of our time and energy. To me, it is like pitting prayer against evangelism or social justice. How can one fight for justice and the poor without a deep life of prayer? How can one fight for justice and the poor without fighting for the most downtrodden, ignored group in all of history? It makes no sense to me. I happen to think that it is possible to fight for both.

Again, I find it unfathomable that one would be willing to hand over the next generation in the name of justice for the poor. That seems short-sighted at best, and cannot square with anything in the heart of God that I can find. And again, abortion impacts african-american babies more than any other group in the nation. We have to be fighting for a systematic infrastructure change that gives these babies a chance - not consigning them to heaven and fighting for their parents as we simultaneously excuse or permit a culture of convenience, easy answers, and murder. How is that helpful?

In fighting for life we establish value on the most important thing - which effects everything else in the value systems and culture of the poor and the hopeless as one builds for the future. In the same manner, fighting for an end to slavery establishes a value for freedom and equality among men that ended the charade of superior races and paved the way for a systematic cultural shift over time. No other social changes or improvements in the 19th century can compare to one that simply assigns value to another human.

In pitting social changes for the living against social changes for the unborn, you are sending a powerful message to the living about what is valuable on about five levels. In devaluing their babies for immediate, short-term change one is also communicating subtly that they are less valuable -though all of the rhetoric is that they are “more valuable” because they are alive. It rings hollow. It feels selfish. It lacks vision.

And frankly, I expect more out of believers, politicians, and the people of this nation in regards to true leadership that transforms a culture rather than elevating a false form of compassion that is really unsanctified mercy or human sentiment. And, I hope that you will forgive me and hear this correctly with tenderness - I expect more out of you.

Jesus’ answer to the issue of slavery and injustice to african-americans is not to place an african-american over the peoples in power and influence. His answer, the answer of true justice, is to deliver them from spiritual slavery and literal bondage and then establish them as a people as slaves to righteousness, serving those who enslaved them willingly in meekness, love, and forgiveness in a manner that glorifies God by doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with their God. It’s the most shocking, incomprehensible expression of the leadership of God that reflects the Servant of All who came to serve and not to be served.

I find that the answer that many in the African-American community are seeking related to justice falls so far short of the biblical model and lacks heavenly vision and heavenly wisdom, which is why there is confusion and wickedness amongst some of the top voices in our nation today. But for the African-American church to lead the charge in meekness, servant-heartedness, humility, and a unified call for life…what an impact that would have on the hearts of many.

It would glorify Christ and magnify His name.

David Sliker 

Entry Filed under: current events, politics, writing