LEGAL OR MORAL?

We used to have some pretty lively discussions around the dinner table when Charlie’s mom stayed with us. My mother-in-law, who was in her eighties at the time, took the lead one night. “Jerri, there have always been abortions; you just can’t legislate morality.” Naturally I agreed. I wasn’t going to get on the wrong side of my mother-in-law!



After mom went to bed that night I did some research on the Internet and sure enough she was right! Women have been having abortions for centuries. In fact in the first century there was intense heated debate over this issue. The question, “When does life begin?” was hotly argued.

Since Mom was a “dyed in the wool” Clinton fan, I decided to back off and not press my pro-life views with her. Mom really loved the Lord and to her, abortion was strictly a political issue. I wasn’t so sure.....

Case in point: A young teenage girl, for now I’ll just call her Grace, got pregnant. She lived in a small town where teenage pregnancy, especially if you were unwed like Grace, was simply a disgrace.



Since you rarely heard about illegitimate births where Grace lived, no doubt a lot of back room abortions were being performed. It was important to Grace’s parents and to other leaders of the community, to live an “upright life”. A young teenager like Grace would be looked down on for getting pregnant. A respected place in the community would be out of the question for her. Even worse, her parents would be shunned by the church folks for having a daughter like her!

Grace’s boyfriend was going to stick by her. Abortion didn’t even come up in their conversation. Of course at first, he considered not continuing their relationship because of the pregnancy, but he truly loved her. He wrestled with the situation and made up his mind. No matter what anybody thought, they would have this baby.

When Grace and her boyfriend went anywhere together you could see heads turn. Her best friend didn’t want to be seen with her. The women in the church sewing circle began to shun Grace’s mother. Grace’s father noticed the change in the men in town. Once respected, he was now ignored. Abortion would have been an easy out for Grace....especially in her early trimester.

But Grace held her head high. The baby (she never referred to it as a “fetus”) was growing and she could feel his little feet pushing and kicking. Her boyfriend could feel him too. When he laid his hand on her stomach, the wonder of the life within her absolutely amazed him. Who cared what everyone thought? They were already in love with this little person within her.

One evening the labor pains started. Her swollen face was now contorted with the agony of her contractions. She hadn’t expected it to hurt so much. The baby was coming. She held the hand of her beloved and squeezed....hard. It would soon be over he assured her. Wiping her brow he whispered words of love and encouragement.

Then, as if in a moment, the pain was gone. The baby cried lustily. Oh, if those who had wagged their tongues could have seen the joy in this scene. Even those who favored partial birth abortion, up to the last stages of pregnancy, would have been ashamed of themselves. This baby, as all babies, was meant to live!

Tenderly laying the baby in Grace’s arms, he then kissed her lightly on the cheek, “We’ll name him Jesus, just as the angel said.”

With a smile on her face, and looking deeply into Joseph’s eyes, Mary said, “Yes, His name shall be Jesus.”

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:18-20 NIV)