The Covenant of Love

This is a difficult blog to post.  As I worked my way through this morning's headlines, I stumbled upon one that broke my heart. It goes to an issue deep at the heart of what we are as Christians, and whether we lose our way in our understanding of WHO God is.  I don't want to mention names, so I'll try and sanitize the story as best as I can.  A man sitting outside of a Planned Parenthood clinic was beaten, and stabbed numerous times by a man protesting the clinic.  While the circumstances of the beating aren't clear, the alleged assailant was a man who'd been protesting at the clinic for a long time now.  I know that the assailant's daughter was somehow mixed up in the assault, but at issue is the anger that brings us to the point of accosting people, and causing them harm.  The assailant had been involved in other angry outbursts before this last one.  Murderous passion is not found within the Covenant of Love.  

Please, don't get me wrong. I detest abortion at all levels.  As the father of three children, and grandfather of five, I've seen the miracle of life in it's truest expression.  I can't imagine this life without any of those children.  The statistics prove that modern abortions are performed for convenience more than the safety of the mother.  According to one statistic, 90% of infants diagnosed with down syndrome are aborted.  I can't help but wonder if someday you can justify an abortion because the child could be born with the wrong color of eyes.  Abortions are exactly what the word means, aborted life.  We can try to candy coat it, give them credibility, or justify them in instances of rape or incest, but the end result is that abortions are an end to a life.  At many levels, we are an antiseptic society, that still picks our nose with the hand we just wiped our rear with.  Abortion is the little brown spot, that let's us know where our hand has been.   As a Christian, I could allow myself to become outraged at the amount of abortions performed each year.  When the truth is, the abortion rate is declining.  I'd like to think we are winning in the information battle against Planned Parenthood.  

Over the years, I've seen the Pro-Life stance become so hostile that we believed it was alright to execute abortion doctors, blow up clinics, and physically accost people going into the clinics.  Sadly, a good portion of these people felt they were on a holy crusade to rid the world of the evil of abortion.  In their righteous indignation, they became convinced that God gave them permission to kill one human being in order to stop the killing of others.  I understand it from a heart position that knows what it's like to be passionate about a moral issue.  The problem with this kind of passionate anger, is that it leads to hate, and then ultimately to murder. We're no longer making a statement about something being morally reprehensible, but are viewing those who are doing those things as deserving judgment. The Word of God tells us they are already judged.  The kind of anger that causes men to physically attack another is not a Christian trait. Violence directed toward those we disagree with, brings shame upon the name of Jesus.  God doesn't need us to be His arm of vengeance.  He will avenge, but when he does, it will be with the mercy born of an all knowing creator who loves all life.  When our dialogue is filled with anger, our blood vessels filled with rage, we break covenant with love.  The Covenant of Love is a lonely place.  I know, because I used to be a hateful, spiteful, vengeful man.  Then, through the mercies of God, I found the Presence of God.  Like the little sparrows who dance and flitter away outside my window, I know that my Creator ever lives to bring life to those desire to lay aside the angry robes of discontent.  It is in putting on the garments of praise, that we become true Covenant warriors, doing battle with the true enemy. . . . . .our own frailties, and lusts.  

This isn't an apology to the murderers, the mis-informers, and purveyors of death.  Judgement awaits, not by my hand or even by my desire.  I will pray for you, that you realize that little clump of cells growing within the mother's womb, is more than a mistake, or just an unwanted lump of flesh to be purged.  For those mothers who've had an abortion, you were deceived, but that doesn't make you evil.  You see, I am a participant in the Covenant of Love, and I know that it is only by the grace of God, that I've been able to find the love to set me free from my own passions.