I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned abortion in a blog, and I’m not going to articulate the case for pro-life. Others have done that very well. I just want to make an observation that might help us deal properly with the millions of people who are pro-abortion. They are human beings too, image-bearers who need to be loved and even forgiven because “they know not what they do.”

Let’s just look at this by the numbers (sorry about that, but that’s what mathematicians do!). Roe v Wade was 1973. Let’s say that’s 50 years ago.

• If a teenager was 15 at the time, she’s 65 now, and abortion has been “normal” for all of her adult life.
• If this lady had a daughter when she was 25, that daughter is 40 now, and abortion has been “normal” for all of her life.
• If she had a daughter when she was 25, that daughter is now 15, entering adulthood soon, and abortion has been “normal” for all of her life.

That’s three generations of people who, if they don’t get their values from scripture, draw their values from the culture. Now, all of a sudden, it appears that a right that seems as natural to them as breathing is possibly going away. I don’t know what the solution is, but I’m pretty sure that yelling at them won’t help. And one pro-lifer even argues that there is common ground.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6.12, ESV)

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7.59, 60, ESV)

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (Matthew 5.43 – 46, ESV)