This post is a reaction to the above picture that has been floating around Facebook.
While I agree that abortion is wrong, and while I agree that "morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed," this post is not about being Pro-Life. This is not a political post. This has absolutely nothing to do with laws or what values the guy I will vote for in the next election should have. This is about a bigger issue than what laws a government is or is not passing.
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4
Taking care of widows: Our job. Taking care of orphans: Our job. Giving to the poor and making sure that people have what they need: Our job.
The devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily. Acts 2:42-47
The New Testament church was modeled after the 1st century Jewish Synagogue. The Synagogue wasn't just a place for Jews to go worship. It was the center of their life. Life happened there. Educating children happened there. Giving to the poor happened there. Supporting each other happened there.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
But we in the present day are too consumed with our own lives to be the church the way that the church was meant to be. We are too consumed with individualism and a what-can-I-gain mentality to come along side people and say that their needs are greater than our own.
Be devoted to one another is brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
If we really want "PRO LIFE" we don't need to be looking to the government. We don't even need to be looking to our church leaders asking what THEY are going to do about it. WE, all of us who proclaim Christ need to make a conscious decision to BE THE CHURCH and do what the Church is meant to do. Obviously there is a handful of people out there doing that, but a few is not enough.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now a body is not made up of one part but many. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14
It says in 1 Corinthians that each member of the Body is important and is supposed to be serving a purpose. If one part of the Body is not serving it's purpose then the whole Body will suffer. It's about time for the WHOLE BODY to step up and do it's part.
But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12: 24-27
Christianity isn't about feeling good. The Church isn't about feeling good. If that is our goal, then we aren't doing "Church" right. So many churches and individuals in churches throw up "Love God, Love People" as a motto but don't really LOVE. The Church is about glorifying God through service and giving and loving and sacrificing the things we want for the good of others. You won't find that in the government.
We need to love like Christ. . I need to love like Christ. Christ fed people, comforted people, poured everything He was into people and ultimately sacrificed Himself for people. I get so wrapped up in what I am doing and how I am feeling and what I want or think that I need that I neglect to be an active member of the Church. I neglect to love like Christ.
I'm not saying that it is an easy fix. I'm not saying I've got this down. I'm as much to blame as the next person. I'm as selfish as the next person. I guess I'm just saying that this isn't something that the government or tax dollars can fix. I guess I'm just saying that it is time for us, all of us who proclaim Christ to be the Church. Plant Truth. Serve. Truly love our God. Truly love His people.