Celebration of Life; Celebration of Woman
By the time you read this, the 1997 celebration of the birth of
our Lord Jesus Christ will be passed.
It is a great time of year for me, and I love every part of it. I rejoice in the birth of Christ and celebrate
it with all the gusto I can manage. A
wonderful, blessed change came to the world with the Advent of Jesus Christ,
and blessed changes continue to be made in lives where He is received and
loved.
Jesus Christ is the theme of Scripture. The Bible is a celebration of life and joy because of Jesus
Christ. Man's condition without Christ
is miserable and sinful and subject to death, but the Apostle John put it
succinctly: "He that hath the Son
hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (I John
5:12).
There is a much-maligned precept in the law of Moses which speaks
volumes to the modern world, if we had ears to hear.
"If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her
fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished,
according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the
judges determine. And if any mischief
follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand
for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for
stripe" (Exodus 21:22-25)
The modern man scoffs at the law of God, and no part is more
maligned than this principle: an eye for an eye. It is first mentioned in the passage quoted.
Unintended Consequences
Something that modern man often overlooks in his pride as an
incessant tinkerer with laws and precepts is the unintended consequences of
laws. Very often these unintended
consequences are worse than the evil we thought to correct.
With God the opposite is true.
His wise and divine laws very often had intended consequences that have
immense benefits for His people. So it
is in the precept of Exodus 21 quoted above.
The law was a simple one.
If there was a quarrel between men, and violence occurred, and a woman
with child was hurt in the fracas, the penalties were severe. A fine had to be paid for involuntary
childbirth, even if the child is born healthy and there was no harm to mother
or child. If there was harm, then the
punishment had to fit the damage. If
either mother or child died, the crime was capital and the offender(s) paid
with their lives.
It seems harsh, and punishment under the law of Moses was
harsh. But before we join the modern
chorus of condemnation, we ought to look at the consequences of the law.
There is no doubt that the general precept of "eye for an
eye," was one of the most civilizing principles of law ever laid down on
this earth. Put another way, the
fundamental principle of law is expressed: the punishment should fit the
crime. But that is not the point of
this article.
The Highest Regard for Womanhood
The most far-reaching consequence of the law of Exodus 21:22-25
would be its effect upon womanhood and civilization. It is not a stretch to say that the specific law concerning a
woman with child resulted in the highest station accorded woman in all the
world.
What was the effect of the law?
It would mean immense care and regard for womanhood. If a fight was taking place between men, and
a woman came into their presence, they would stop fighting at once. Why?
Because there would be no way of knowing whether or not the woman was
pregnant, and why take a chance with your life? The unexpressed benefit of this law would be felt by all
womanhood everywhere. Her very presence
would help to end strife and violence.
What Has Happened to Civility?
This author remembers the day when such regard was given
womanhood. Men would stand if a woman
entered a room. If a woman was with
child, great regard and respect was given her.
You never spoke rudely to a girl, and you never used bad language around
her. You never, never, never struck a
girl or a woman. The women I knew were
ladies. They did not engage in
violence, and I still cringe today when I hear a woman use profanity or
vulgarities. I am very sorry that day
has passed, but I will continue to try to give such respect, even if I am
insulted for doing so. I can try to be
civilized if the whole world sinks into barbarism.
The Promise of the Savior
Of course the law was related to the Promise of the coming of
Christ. It was the hope of every godly
Jewish woman that she might be the mother of Messiah, the Seed of the Woman who
would bruise the head of the Serpent (Gen. 3:15). Every godly woman would thus nurture and guard her seed, and
every godly man would protect and honor her.
Now that the promise has been fulfilled, and Christ has come, and
hope and life has come, woman reaps the benefit of her labor. Just as sin and death entered the world through
the temptation of Eve, so righteousness and life entered the world through the
humility and obedience of the Virgin Mary.
She is thus "Blessed among women."
Humbling of Man's Pride
When the Savior came into the world, God humbled the pride of man
by completely bypassing him in the process.
The male had nothing to do with the conception of Jesus Christ, for He
was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin.
How much better the world would be if womankind followed the
obedience of Mary rather than the sin and temptation of Eve. Peace does not come because woman learns to
cuss and spit and fight and cheat like a man.
This is not equality, but debasement--just the opposite of
civility. Strife was abated because of
her precious seed.
Debasing of Life
When woman is debased, life is debased. Is it any wonder that abortion and euthanasia follow hard upon
the "emancipation" of womankind.
Why do we wonder that men abuse their wives and daughters? What will be the result when the last
vestige of respect for life is violated with women in combat, in
law-enforcement, and other life-threatening occupations? Some outlandish women have even proposed
finding a way for women to take their babies with them into combat! Are we so ready to war upon our own nature
and civility as to destroy the very fountain of life itself? Will this be the epitaph on the bleaching
bones of our civilization: "They sent their women to war?" If we do not respect the origin of life,
how shall we nurture its development?
The law of Exodus 21:22-25 did not come because of a plebiscite of
the women of Israel. God does not need
such a plebiscite, for He knows what is in man and what is best for both men
and women. Sinful and cynical men and
women very often do not know what is in their best interests, and barriers must
be erected against their folly. This
law was to the immense benefit of both the men and the women of Israel. The mothers of Israel were the bulwark and
joy of Israel.
How precious was the gift that the Virgin gave the world! The ancient church called her the
"Mother of God," not because God has a mother, but because that which
was born of her was the Son of God. No
other woman can ever have such a hope, for Christ has come and will never be
born into the world again, for He comes the next time in power and glory. But the coming of Christ has brought hope to
those who believe, and sealed the honor and dignity of womankind.
To honor life is to honor womankind. Let us honor; let us protect; let us dignify womanhood. Not to do so is just not civilized.