The Issues

This post was submitted for Cocoa's Worldfull Wednesday. We were suppose to focus on one of a number of political issues. I thought I had scheduled this for Wednesday! I was wrong, so it is a day late.

Conversation a few days ago with my 9 and 7 year old children.

"Who are you voting for, mom?"

"Senator ___________."

"Why?"

"Because he is the one that stands for more of the same issues I believe in."

"Like what? What issues?"

"Well, he believes parents should have a choice in education, he believes that law-abiding citizens have the right to bear arms, and he is against abortion. That is very important to me."

"What's abortion?"

(Sigh.... I better keep it simple.)

"Well, sometimes a woman gets pregnant and decides she doesn't want to have a baby and goes to the doctor to have the baby taken out of her."

(Wide eyes)

"What do they do with the baby?"

(Pause....How do I answer? I don't want them to loose all their faith in humanity before they are even teenagers! Nevertheless, I decide to go with a very simple, honest answer.)

"Well, guys, they take the baby when it is really, really small. Some people think that when it is that small it is not a real person and so they destroy it. It's very sad and I do not think that is right. And so, I'm against abortion."

(Now, I expected that there might be some emotion, but was still a little overwhelmed by the response.)

"WHAT????" (Eyes are tearing up.) "Mom, how can they do that?" "That's LEGAL?" "How can that happen??" "They kill the baby???"

(Now there are full blown sobs.)

And then my 7 year old daughter whispers, "Oh, those poor mothers...they will be so sad forever."

(That's when my eyes started to water.)

I'm about to tell them that it is a very complicated issue. That there are lots of scenarios. I wanted to comfort them by saying that some scientists don't think the embryo can feel anything. But then, why should I try to smooth over an issue that should make everyone cry out in horror? My 9 and 7 year old's shock and tears are proof enough to me that it really isn't complicated at all.

It's about life and death.
It's about right and wrong.

The adversary would like to blur the lines until it is too hard to see them or until we just don't care anymore.

What can we do?

I want to see children being taught to reverence life, rather than see it made a complete mockery in video games and television. We need to protect their sensitivity to light and darkness! How frightening it is to think, that in a few decades our world might be lead by children who have spent SO MANY hours in front of a screen showing violence, rudeness, disrespect, and vile behavior. We NEED to protect their sensitivity by taking them outside and showing them the marvels of the world God created, by teaching them to pray earnestly and to increase their faith, by having consequences for bad behavior, by loving them unconditionally, and by LIMITING THE SCREEN TIME.

I want to see more legislation that promotes adoption as an alternative and that teaches the long lasting effects of abortion. It's very foolish to think that a woman can go back to "normal" after having an abortion. It is not the easy "fix" that people believe it is.

I believe very strongly in a woman's right to choose. She can choose to be responsible before she gets pregnant! I realize that there are some instances where a woman becomes pregnant because someone else was selfish and evil. I believe so strongly, however in adoption and that the innocent life that was brought into the world because of a wicked deed, need not perpetuate the evil, but, given to a warm and loving couple could be the cause of healing and forgiveness and love.

We live in a time where we do not have the luxury of being passive. We can be a force for good. And, while the issues can seem very overwhelming, the best place to start is at home.

BUT, be prepared to be taught (and humbled) by your children.