This day was originally designated in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan to inform and honor the importance of life. It is placed on the calendar to mirror the date Roe vs. Wade was passed into law, January 22nd 1973. Since then many churches and pro life groups use this day and month to inform and educate others on what God says about life and its value.
Over 19 years ago if someone told me I would be standing here today telling you about this event I would have told them they were crazy. For me this day always brought painful reminders of my choice. I never set foot in a church on this day. I never heard a pro-life pastor sound the call to a congregation. I had however, been smack upside the face with displays in a church yards. Is this display attention grabbing? Yes. But is it healing? Is it inviting?
Last Sunday Pastor Mike shared with us what makes up the heart beat of the church. Invite, Inform, Involve. What a wonderful measuring tool to hold up to each of our events and our hearts as the church body.
In 2006 a woman named Rose Mawhorter stood across the street from an abortion clinic with a gory sign around her neck about what was happening in the four walls of the clinic. From behind her another woman ran at her, knocked her to the ground and with screaming and ugly words ripped the sign from Rose’s neck. The woman ran into the street clutching the sign and fleeing with everything she had from the scene. There were many comments on Rose’s website about the events. Many said she had most likely had an abortion and she just could not deal with the truth. The individuals who caught this event on tape said these words. ” I was the cameraman on the day Rose was assaulted and can tell you clearly that your reaction is probably right on. I too thought that she must have been very hurt by her experience. To have such anger pent up that a mere demonstration causes her to explode in such a way tells me she should be getting help.” Yes, this woman does need help but the people at the protest that day were so blinded by the issue they were championing that they only saw this attack as way to make pro-life the victim. Was their mere protest healing? Was it inviting?
Let me share with you a different example. A woman from Texas named Abby Johnson was a successful director of Planned Parenthood. She had climbed the ladder of the organization and was doing well at her job. Outside the clinic a group or Christians daily went to gather and pray. They often spoke to Abby as she walked to and from the doors to her job. One even gave her flowers and told her to have a good day. Abby saw them day after day speaking to the people who approached them. They were so different from the other protestors. They carried no sings they did not raise their voices; In fact most of the time they simply knelt in silent prayer. One day Abby Johnson exited the doors of that clinic, walked up to those individuals and asked for help. You see she was ready to make a change and to leave the job which she finally saw as hurting and not helping. She needed help and hope and she went to those peaceful demonstrators. They embraced and hugged each other and prayed. Abby Johnson felt invited.
Paul says in his letter to the Church in Corinth these words. “Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. We can be a body of Christ allowing judgment and condemnation to become healing and restoration. We can Invite, inform and involve. We can reach out and love those people who God places in our church, or work place, our school and our path with understanding and hope. I know we can because it was done with me. I was invited by many of you to come to this church. I was informed by many of you God’s love for me and the truth of the forgiveness for my mistakes. I was asked to be involved to spread that love outside these walls by many of you. We all carry burdens and mistakes from our past. I pray that on this Sanctity of Life Sunday we will understand and see that all life has value and with the love of Christ in our hearts and extended through our hands we can draw others to that same love we so dearly praise here Sunday after Sunday. This month we have been collecting diapers to share with others in need. So far you have brought in 850 diapers which will be donated to the Wakulla Pregnancy Center. Regardless of how different their choices in life are from yours you are showing God’s love. Invite, Inform and Involved. For all life God created is precious and has value no matter the mistakes and burdens it holds.
I was blessed today to bring the above message to my church family. I am continually humbled at how God can and will use us if we step forward in faith. He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 During this month set aside for the Sanctity of Life may I always remember that all life is created and valued by God. From the womb to the grave and especially those holding on to a burden of shame and guilt which robs them of the life planned for them. May we as your people learn to heal and not hurt each other.
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