Staff Commentary: The Value of Life

Recently I’ve been pondering the fact that I’m prolife.  Of course, I’m pro-life.  I’m a Christian. 

But after months of letting some facts about the depravity of man and the theological truth of the sovereignty of God roll around in my head and mingle with thoughts about the wisdom of the providence and plan of a wise Creator and the grace and mercy of the Sustainer, I realize I’ve got more questions, not more answers.

Only this time the questions are different….

They’re not about facts.  They’re about application.

They’re questions about whether I really get it.

Like I said…I’m pro-life. I would not be able to bear the thought of murder or violence, but until recently I’ve not so deeply understood what I believe God means his image bearers to be when they say they’re pro-life.

In the midst of all of this pondering on such a deep thought and all of its implications not only on my personal life, but also the ministry at Vision of Hope, I ran across a blog (http://www.prayforian.com/) that literally …. well, let’s just say, completely flattened me. 

I believed the truths about being pro-life, but would I live it as such a sacrifice as do Ian and Larissa on this blog? 

As I read the unfolding story of Ian and Larissa I find myself questioning at what sacrifice I would live out my Savior’s theology of caring for each other in this life-affirming way.  Do I so believe that God is the author of life and the sustainer of my days, that I am willing to completely sacrifice myself to serve another person without a guarantee of a positive return or an improvement in the situation?

In all of my pondering on this issue, like I said previously, I find myself living in a land of questions.  Do I have that kind of life-affirming faithfulness?  Do I practice it even now in my work and in my home?  Do I sacrifice to serve?  Do I trust….simply trust…with no promise that the stressful circumstances will be altered?  Do I get involved with life-giving works based upon my faith in a life-giving Saviour?  Do I parent in a life-giving, redemptive story kind of way?  Am I a wife that is so committed to life in my marriage that I refuse to even use a tone of death in my communication toward my husband?  Do I foster deepening life in my relationships with my friends, based on my sacrificial service for their good?  Do my parents and siblings look at the way my life is lived and remark that they’ve never felt so alive as they do when I am serving them?

Ian and Larissa, you put me to shame!  Yet I am grateful for the opportunity to be gently and sweetly broken through your story.  I am grateful for a Saviour who decided that it would please Him to give me life and who daily sustains me, even when I don’t really get it.

Jocelyn Wallace
Jocelyn was the executive director of the Vision of Hope residential treatment center (www.vohlafayette.org) on the campus of Faith Ministries until 2013. Her experience in the biblical counseling field goes back to 2002, and includes work in parachurch organizations and Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries.