One day as I stood against the lockers, I watched an underclassman become the victim of pinball, when students take turns pushing the kid back and forth to each other, and they verbally taunted him the whole time. Now, because of some circumstances in my life at that time, I happened to know more about this boy than others did. He came from a troubled home. He alone was responsible for the family finances, the shopping, and other aspects that parents should really be handling.
As he was called names and pushed around, I stood there watching, yet did nothing. Why? I'm guessing that I was concerned about standing out, about defending a kid who I agreed was different, and about perhaps becoming a bully victim myself.
I still think of that day when I chose not to help.
I suppose all of us have been victims of bullying at one time or another and that even perhaps in our immature and selfish youth, we were probably all bullies. The kids pushing him weren't bad kids. They were just in the moment, thinking of only themselves, and how they could have a little fun at someone else's expense.
Thinking back, I'm pretty sure a few words of mine would have stopped them, not because I was powerful, but because they were in the moment, and sometimes all it takes is one voice to speak out in the midst of chaos.
Of course, had I said something, the bullies may have felt judged. They may have had poor circumstances in their own homes. Some may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some may have been really sweet kids who just happened to make a poor choice on that day. And I suppose some of them could even have been bullied into bullying, making them, too, victims of the day's circumstances.
At that point, though, my job as a young Christian was not to stand in judgment of those other boys or even to understand their circumstances. My job at that moment was to protect the one who was being pushed around.
I simply didn't do it.
That, my friends, is exactly how I feel about abortion. My job is not to stand in judgment of those who have had one or want to have one. I don't know their situations. I don't pretend to understand where they've been or what trials they've been through. I don't know that pregnancy is the mom's fault. What I do understand is that millions of babies are dying in our country all in the name of choice.
It's our job to quit hanging out on the side, saying, "That's not my decision. I wouldn't do it, but I can't tell someone else not to" or "When they ask my opinion, I'll tell them." I have many dear friends who believe that, and I love them, but I still question how our God will judge (and He is the One with the right to judge) our inaction.
If you have been on the fence about this or think you're overstepping your bounds to take away individual choice, just ask yourself if laws are there to protect...and then ask who is protecting our unborn children.
On Facebook awhile back, I asked my friends what they think it means to love their neighbor. Last night on the radio, I heard the biblical definition of neighbor: anyone in need whom you have the means to help. Interesting definition, right? When you vote next week, will you consider each unborn child to be your neighbor?
