Exodus 1 – Standing on the side of justice

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land...

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, "When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live." But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?" The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them." So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Exodus 1:8-10, 15-21 (ESV)

Sometimes taking a stand for the little guy is quite popular. Other times it isn’t. The latest issue of Time Magazine has an article about the pregnancy centers that are helping women see the value of life. These pregnancy centers are quite effective at reaching out to these women and that drives places like Planned Parenthood up the wall.

People need justice. As I read the article, the reasons for choosing an abortion were so out of balance that it made the article hard to get through. We need more people willing to stand for the mothers and for their children. We need people willing to help in ways that honor God and don’t destroy life.

True, there isn’t an order from the President to kill all male children. But children are dying because they are inconvenient and a burden. Like Pharaoh, many see children as a threat to their little kingdom. The people who are working with these mothers are heroes, showing would-be mothers that there are things that are more important than the ‘perfect’ little kingdom they picture in their minds. Hopefully these women are envisioning a new kingdom, one characterized by joy, love, and life.