Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. —Proverbs 31:8
The wisest man who ever lived had some experience saving the lives of infants.
Following King David’s death, his son and heir, Solomon, petitioned the LORD for wisdom. Before his death, David had exhorted Solomon to “play the man.” Solomon knew he lacked the wisdom to lead the Nation of Israel, much less “BE the man” overseeing such a kingdom.
Nonetheless, God was pleased with Solomon’s request and granted it forthright—as well as bestowing upon him “riches and honor” (which he had not asked for). And it wasn’t long before the king’s wisdom was tested.
A tale of two sons
Two pregnant women were living in the same home.1 Both delivered baby boys in close succession. On a particular morning, one of the women awoke to find her baby dead—apparently, she had rolled over on him and suffocated him during the night. But, upon closer inspection, the woman realized that the dead baby was not hers but the other woman’s.
In reality, the other woman had rolled over on her son during the night and smothered him. When she awoke and realized what had happened, she quietly took the first woman’s living son and laid her dead son next to the sleeping woman. When the first woman awoke, they disputed over the living baby boy.
Ultimately, the women sought an audience before the king to resolve the matter. Their she-said/she-said testimony put Solomon to the test. Each woman vehemently claimed the living baby, and he alone was left to discern the truth and render a verdict.
Solomon’s baby
With no way to determine who the baby belonged to, Solomon decreed that the living child should be cut into two pieces and each woman given half a child.
Upon hearing the king, the mother of the living baby cried out, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!”
But the woman of the dead child said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him!”
Solomon then wisely answered: “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.”
Wisdom is justified by her children
The Bible has this to say about the impact of Solomon’s wisdom upon the Nation of Israel:
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice. —1 Kings 3:28
God’s wisdom. The king’s intervention. Justice applied. A life preserved.
It’s a recipe for righteousness that would work in our day, too.
Choices
There are differing viewpoints on abortion, a “woman’s right to choose,” right-to-life advocacy, privacy, and a host of other issues connected to abortion. In many cases, the subject is deeply personal and painful. I am mindful of that as I write.
In my previous life as a secular humanist (Darwin, karma, chance, Mother Nature, etc.), I was ambivalent toward abortion. I was glad that it existed (for very selfish reasons). Once I repented and chose to follow Christ, my thoughts about abortion changed. The God who issued the decree “Choose life” does not support infanticide.2
It is God’s prerogative to change minds. My responsibility is to question the wholesale adoption of a procedure that has cost many lives over the past five decades. I believe that enshrining the right to abortion will lead to the demise of our Nation and that a collective change of heart is necessary to forestall disaster.
Some staggering numbers
During the era of Roe v Wade—a period of roughly 50 years—some 60 million pre-born human babies were aborted.3 Tragically, that number is too large to be easily grasped by most people, and an illustration may be helpful.
The largest college football stadium in America can accommodate roughly 100,000 fans.4 That stadium would have to be filled—and emptied—600 times to equal the Roe-era death count. Hitler’s atrocities didn’t even come close to this number.
Two camps
The vast majority of abortions performed in the United States are an elective procedure done within the first trimester.5 Someone involved with the pregnancy decides that terminating the fetus is the best decision for numerous reasons. Usually, but not always, the pregnant woman makes the decision.
Some justify the decision to abort by citing emotional distress or financial hardship for the family. Others make the case that—based on evidence revealed via ultrasonography and other technologies—abortion is justified to preserve the mother’s life—a contention still debated by pro-abortion and pro-life advocates.6
Wherever you come down on the matter, one thing is clear: At least 60 million individuals did not have a say in the decision that cost them their lives.
Who gets an opinion?
Some will want to disqualify me (a male) from commenting on something that I cannot understand—in that I can never “become” pregnant. Granting the obvious, it’s important to remember that two people are implicated in every pregnancy. One of them is always a male. Everyone with a stake in this matter should be able to speak to it without marginalization.
Speak. Support. Poke. Pray.
Individually, we cannot stop an entire culture from insisting on the right to choose abortion as de facto birth control. But here’s what we can do:
Speak up for the unborn.7 Whether in conversation with someone considering an abortion or in a discussion where the topic is broached.
Support pro-life organizations. Crisis pregnancy centers, counseling services, and new mother support groups all need dollars and volunteers.
Poke a politician. Politicians live to be elected—and stay in office. Let your legislators know you’re watching their voting record on pro-life matters.
Pray. One ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict people of sin. Pray that the Spirit’s conviction results in a changed outcome.
Those in favor of a Constitutional “right” to abortion continue to protest the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe loudly. They have many supporters and advocates pressing their case. It is an emotional issue inciting fervent activism, raised voices, and clenched fists. If they can, these forces will codify the right to abortion at the federal level.
Still, who will speak for the speechless?
[For reference: The Supreme Court ruling on Dobb’s v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and the Constitutional basis thereof].
The Bible tells us they were “harlots,” so we can deduce their pregnancies were an occupational hazard. Nonetheless, the end of their tragic story reveals one mother’s enduring, unending love for her child—no matter the circumstance.
YWHW, Himself, addresses ritual child sacrifice (pregnancies likely associated with formalized Temple prostitution) in the days of the prophet Jeremiah. In no uncertain terms, God made it known that killing children was not an “act of worship” and would not be tolerated. Jeremiah 7:30-31.
Tobias, C. (2022, January 1). The State of Abortion in the United States | 2022. National Right to Life. Retrieved January 27, 2024, from https://www.nrlc.org/uploads/communications/stateofabortion2022.pdf
Gough, C. (2023, November 15). Largest college football stadiums in the United States in 2023 by capacity. Statista.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1128499/largest-college-football-stadiums/
Ranji, U., Diep, K., & Salganicoff, A. (2023, November 21). Key Facts on Abortion in the United States. Kff.org. Retrieved November 30, 2024, from https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/key-facts-on-abortion-in-the-united-states/
Human Life International (2021, October 21). What percentage of abortions are medically necessary? Hli.org. Retrieved January 27, 2024, from https://www.hli.org/resources/what-percentage-of-abortions-are-medically-necessary/
In every circumstance and situation, this is always the biblical mandate for those who can speak: Open your mouth for the speechless; in the cause of all who are appointed to die. —Proverbs 31:8
No, I was clear: A Male can not become pregnant.
Wisdom in your words. When are you running for office?