Abortion, Tebow, Saving Lives

Abortion is a terrible thing. I know. I have been through it. It was over 30 years ago and yet I still remember the day vividly. God has forgiven me. I have forgiven myself. It took a very long time for that to happen. Despite my personal knowledge of the long-term effects of going through an abortion and my passion that others do not make the same mistake, I do not align myself with anti-abortion groups. (Yes, I was surprised that this commercial I am referencing came from Focus on the Family!) Their fanaticism too often breeds a total lack of compassion for the woman who is struggling with what she perceives is a “no win” situation. As Christians, we would do well to remember Jesus’ example.

John 8 tells the story of the woman caught in adultery. There is no question that adultery is wrong. There is no question that abortion is wrong. Jesus shows us all in this story how to hate the sin but love the person who sins. Jesus does not yell at the woman. I doubt Jesus wrote on the ground, “How could you destroy a man’s family?” although because we do not know specifically what He did write, there may be someone out there who will claim he did! Jesus specifically points His finger to everyone with a stone in his/her hand and demands that only those who have no guilt/sin in their life can throw the first stone.

If you are one of those who stands outside an abortion clinic with signs and pictures, do you understand what you are doing? Do you believe that Jesus would stand next to you and point His finger at the woman walking into the clinic? Or would He approach her with compassion, wanting to bring healing and unconditional love into her life? Instead protesting outside abortion clinics, why not build more homes for women to live while they are pregnant, giving them skills to help them if they decide to keep and care for their child or help to place their child for adoption if they decided that?

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10 (WEB)

So good for you, Tim Tebow and ‘mom’, for the message of love that you delivered on Super Bowl Sunday!