Thank God, Mary Was Pro-Life!
Each year, it is my custom to review the latest data on abortion in our Nation. I do so with the yearning to find some stats that give me a little bit of encouragement, a reason to have hope that our Society is coming to its moral and ethical senses by adopting a Pro-Life stance. I usually conduct my examination in January, but this time I ended-up looking at the information a month early – right at the time when most of Christendom is now occupied with the coming Christmas celebration.
Within my mind, the two subjects (abortion and the Nativity) have merged together and caused me to have stronger feelings about both.
Have you ever thought about the fact that there would be NO Christmas - no Nativity scenes, no beautiful caroling, no spiritual awe and joy and hope and thanksgiving surrounding the birth of the One Who has brought salvation (present and future) to those who embrace Him as Lord and King - .if Mary had made the decision to end her pregnancy by getting an abortion?
When I read the most common reasons given by women (and proponents of abortion) today to justify their decision to end the life of their unborn child, I was struck with the realization that Mary could have offered all of them to justify ending the Life within her, never allowing her child to be born and see the light of day.
Based upon the latest extensive research, the top 5 reasons given to justify getting an abortion are:
1. The pregnant woman is too young or feels unready for a child.
2. The pregnant woman is too poor to support child's needs.
3. The pregnant woman's relationship with her 'significant other' (boyfriend/fiance'/husband) would be strained if not destroyed.
4. The pregnant woman does not want to be an unwed mother.
5. The pregnant woman's dreams and goals would be derailed.
Considering these actual reasons, we can see how that Mary could have given all five of them to 'justify' aborting the child growing in her womb. Mary's circumstances fit with all of the circumstances behind the five reasons.
1. Too Young and Irresponsible.
It is agreed by most scholars that at the time Mary conceived the Christ Child, she was likely in her mid-teens. Today, a girl who is 15-16 years old would be considered too young to handle the responsibility of caring for a baby. Today, a girl of this age would likely be encouraged to consider abortion as a means of avoiding that burden. After all, we do not want 'babies having babies'.
2. Too Poor to Provide for the Child.
We know from the Scriptures that Mary was poor. Luke 2:22-24, tells us that when it was time for Mary to present a sacrifice for her purification following childbirth, she offered two doves or two pigeons in conformity to the Law of Moses. However, the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12:2-8) tells us that the standard offering required for the new mother's purification was actually a lamb and a dove. Only if the woman is poor and, thus, not able to afford a lamb, could she offer as a substitute the two doves or pigeons. Being in poverty, many today would likely tell Mary that it would be irresponsible to give birth to a child to whom she could not provide all the things a child would deserve to have for a good childhood and positive future. Abortion would be a more 'responsible' choice.
3. Negative Impact on Relationships.
We know from the Scriptures that Mary's pregnancy had a huge impact on her relationship with her betrothal husband, Joseph. Joseph naturally thought that Mary's pregnancy was due to her having sex (adultery) with another man and it motivated him to pursue a private divorce. Thankfully, the Lord intervened and told Joseph that Mary had not 'cheated' on him and it would be morally and spiritually acceptable for them both if he went ahead with the planned marriage (Matthew 1:18-25). Before the Lord intervened, Mary's pregnancy destroyed her relationship with Joseph. If it were today and Mary spoke to a typical 'pro-choice' pregnancy counselor about how her pregnancy was greatly straining or damaging her relationship with her 'significant other', there is little doubt that abortion would be suggested as a remedy. When I worked at a Pro-Life pregnancy counseling/medical center, many young women would come and state that they wanted to abort their babies before their boyfriend or fiance' found-out about her being pregnant or wanted an abortion because the birth of the child would harm their current relationship.
4. Avoiding the Stigma of Single Motherhood.
Had Joseph divorced Mary and she would have given birth to her child outside of marriage in the culture and time period in which she lived, she probably would have been severely punished for her immorality or, at the best, carry the stigma of being an unwed mother for many years. Mary could have escaped the consequences of her immorality by getting an early abortion. (1st Century Jewish rabbis were divided in their opinion about abortion and the larger Gentile cities in Galilee had Gentile 'doctors' who routinely performed abortions.)
I know that 50-60 years ago, if a girl/woman became pregnant and gave birth to a child out of wedlock it would still have been considered as something scandalous. Before Roe vs. Wade, unmarried women who became pregnant pursued secret abortions to avoid being causing a public scandal and being stigmatized.
Today, by and large, becoming pregnant and having a baby outside of wedlock is not seen as being truly scandalous. But, there are exceptions. Some unmarried girls/women who have unplanned (out of wedlock) and unwanted pregnancies do feel ashamed and/or fearful of being ostracized by family and friends should she give birth to such a child. To avoid the inner shame and the probable rejection of her family and friends and church, they are prone to use abortion to eliminate the consequences of of their immorality.
5. Interferes With Personal Plans and Goals.
When the archangel Gabriel approached Mary and told her she was going to become pregnant and give birth to the Messiah-Christ, I'm sure it occurred to Mary that all of her previous plans and goals for her future would have to be set-aside, if not surrendered, to whatever would ensue. Would she have put her own desired future 'front and center' and abort the unborn Child or would she make sacrifices to allow the human Child to live?
Today, girls/women are told not to allow anything to derail them in the pursuit of their own aspirations, ambitions, hopes, and dreams for their future. One of those 'anythings' include unplanned pregnancies and giving birth to an unexpected child. Again, at the pregnancy counseling/medical clinic (which happened to be in a city with a major university), I often heard female college students ask for an abortion because a pregnancy and, much more, a birth of a child would totally mess-up their education plans and, consequently, their career goals.
Do you see that Mary could use any of the top 5 reasons used to justify obtaining an abortion and she would have the support of most of our Society today? How easily Mary could have prevented anyone from enjoying the holiday of Christmas if she had the values of the 660,000 American women who aborted their babies in the last 12 months (the number does not include cases of rape, incest and where the physical life of the woman was endangered)!!
In closing, when I now see a Nativity Scene I have a new perspective. Since my God came into the world through a pregnancy and by childbirth, He lifted pregnancy and childbirth to a much greater station of honor and glory and sacredness. While Mary's pregnancy was unique (conception by the Holy Spirit rather than by a man), it brought added attention to the miracle that occurs within the womb every time when there is the creation and formation of another living human being.
Perhaps, this growing awareness of the sanctity of conception, human fetal development and childbirth is the root cause of the 12-15% decline in abortions performed in our Nation since 2010. Teenage pregnancies and teenagers seeking abortions have dropped significantly. There's an entire generation of women who are seeing a sonogram as their first baby picture. There's an increased awareness of the humanity of the baby before it is born.
Psalm 139:13-14, “You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother. I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this.”
