A sixteen year old girl finds herself pregnant.
Against the advice and demands of the baby daddy, her friends, and even her family, she chooses to raise this child.
The organization Embrace Grace throws this frightened, brave, young girl a baby shower.
"Why in the world would you want to reward them for their bad behavior?"
"We really want to be careful about this and how it might be perceived as honoring girls that have sinned."
I posted an article on Facebook called "How Pro-Life Are You?" by Amy Ford. A dear friend commented on the article and I was so shocked and saddened by her response that I realized this was going to take more than a short comment -- This was so important that it would require an entire blog post.
Here's what my good friend wrote:
"Did the father of the prodigal son reward his son for his bad choices? No, he showed him love - lots of love - and let his son live with the consequences (ie: no more inheritance). Same here."
“If your preaching of the gospel of God's free grace in Jesus Christ does not provoke the charge from some of antinomianism, you're not preaching the gospel of the free grace of God in Jesus Christ.”
-David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Sticking with the Tale of Two Sons parable, the father was willing to make himself undignified by running toward his son! He told the servants to put the best robe on him, which was probably his very own, symbolizing acceptance back into the family, to enjoy living off of what's left of his father's wealth -- to freely enjoy his brother's half of the inheritance.
Tim Keller writes in Prodigal God, "The father is saying, "I'm not going to wait until you've paid off your debt; I'm not going to wait until you've duly groveled. You are not going to earn your way back into the family, I am going to simply take you back. I will cover your nakedness, poverty, and rags with the robes of my office and honor."
The feast was with the fattened calf -- the most expensive celebratory meal possible, which the whole town was probably invited to. This is part of why the older brother is so pissed!
When older bro arrives and sees the party his father is throwing, with HIS half of the inheritance, mind you, he refuses to join, shaming his father and demonstrating to everyone that he does NOT condone what his father is doing.
But with the same love and grace he had shown to his younger son, Dad leaves the party to seek out his oldest son and begs him to come in and help welcome his lost younger brother back home.
But older bro is still way pissed off and continues to humiliate his father. "I've been perfect for you all these years! But he wished you dead and blew your money on whores! You've never thrown me a party like this, but now that he's back you treat him not only like a son again, but like royalty! What the hell, Dad??"
Treating his father like that, the father would have to save face by disowning him immediately. But Tim Keller writes the father's heart response, "My son, despite how you have insulted me publicly, I still want you in the feast. I am not going to disown your brother, but I don't want to disown you, either. I challenge you to swallow your pride and come into the feast. The choice is yours. Will you, or will you not?"
... And that's the cliffhanger ending...
We're left wondering what the older brother will do!
Now let's apply this story of the two sons to these teenage girls and the folks who don't want to "reward them for their bad behavior."
These girls have made decisions that they're told in health class are acceptable and normal. But they've been lied to -- sex has real, life-altering consequences! And rather than go the socially acceptable and government sponsored route of abortion, they have done the most unselfish thing a young unmarried girl can do, which is to accept responsibility of the life growing within her.
These "younger brothers", if you will, are boldly choosing life for their babies. This selfless choice should be praised, honored, and celebrated! Not judged and condemned by the "older brothers".
It's no wonder so many girls prefer a secret abortion to open ridicule and judgement.
Have we forgotten that the wages of ANY sin is death?
That we are ALL deserving of death and separation from God forever?
And yet we DO enjoy the inheritance of the Son.
We ARE rewarded, in spite of our bad behavior.
While we are STILL sinners Christ died for us.
I thank God that I don't get what I know I deserve.
Because of the work Christ did on the cross, dying in our place, defeating death and rising again, our Father will NOT disown these girls. And although His Gospel of Free Grace has been insulted by the judgement that has been poured out on these girls, our Father doesn't want to disown you either. I challenge you to swallow your pride and come into the feast to celebrate life with these young mothers.
"The choice is yours," Says the Father, "Will you, or will you not?"
EMBRACE GRACE: "As Christians step out of their comfort zones and use their voice for those who have none, more and more girls are thinking twice about having an abortion.
How Pro-Life Are You?
By Amy Ford
one thing your daughter doesn't need you to say
By Emily Freeman
Timothy Keller: "Jesus, the True Elder Brother"
Part 1: Pro-Choice/Pro-Life/Pro-People
Part 3: The Murders Of Liberty & Babies
Part 4: Rewarded For Bad Behavior
Part 5: Why I Wore White At My Wedding
How does "The Pill" work as an abortifacient?