Little lives matter

Maybe this makes me sound childish, and perhaps in some ways I still am, but one of my all-time favorite movies is, “Horton Hears a Who.” The 2008 animated film is based on a book written by the ever-clever Dr. Seuss. I love the crafty rhymes, linguistic rhythms, and imaginative characters in his writing. How could anyone not appreciate such colorful classics as “The Cat-in-the-Hat” or “Green Eggs and Ham” or not adore “The Grinch?” These short stories bring back many fond childhood memories. 

But in case you’re not as “cultured” as you ought to be and are unfamiliar with “Horton Hears a Who,” let me give you a brief summary of the plot. 

Horton the elephant, with his giant-sized ears, can hear the voice of these minute little creatures who live on a speck on a flower pedal. These minuscule little beings are called the Who’s and, curiously enough, live in a tiny town called Whoville. While Horton insists the Who’s are real, the other jungle dwellers (especially a mean ol’ kangaroo) can’t see them or hear their voices and think the goofy elephant has gone mad. Yet Horton insists these teeny tiny people exist and have the right to live unharmed. So, throughout the adventure, Horton the elephant struggles to keep the Who’sWho’s safe from all those seeking their end. At the movie’s climax, every Who in Whoville raises their voices so loudly that other animals begin to hear them and join the fight for their safety. Eventually, even the hard heart of the angry kangaroo is softened towards the tiny little individuals. Here is the final line delivered in the story: “And so, all ended well for both Horton and Who’s and for all in the jungle, even kangaroos. So let that be a lesson to one and to all; a person is a person, no matter how small.” 

It would serve us all well to remember Dr. Seuss’s sage counsel: ” A person is a person, no matter how small!” 

I have no idea what Dr. Seuss’ politics were or if he was even politically minded. I don’t know if he claimed to be a moral person, a conservative, or a Christian. But I know this: He is absolutely right—a person is a person, no matter how small. Sadly, however, there are many in our world who don’t believe that truth. 

In the eight years I have been writing for this paper, I have never committed an entire article to the subject of abortion. Perhaps I should have? I have mentioned my position on this issue several times but have not confronted the topic head-on in this forum. One of the main reasons is this: there are very few subjects that elicit such an intense emotional response as that of abortion. People have strong, passionate views on both sides of the issue and are typically very quick to scream about why you’re wrong. 

Nonetheless, I make no apologies for being adamantly opposed to abortion. An embryo, a fetus, or an unborn child is not simply a clump of cells or a blob of tissue. But a unique person, fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. As such, ending the lives of these children before or after birth is an act of murder. In case you have not been informed, God hates hands that shed innocent blood. I am fully aware of the visceral and violent response some will give to this truth. Yet, it is a truth nonetheless. 

I sometimes wonder if people respond to the anti-abortion movement with such seething anger simply because they know what they support is diabolically evil. Yet, the Christian has been called to serve as salt and light in this dark and insipid society we live in. 

I will not drag you through the ugliness of abortion procedures, though they are bloody and brutal. Nor will I subject you to heart-rending statistics of the number of abortions, though this is inarguably the holocaust of our day. But I want to challenge the reader to consider that this is a life-and-death issue, which God-fearing individuals must not shy away from. 

For many years, I have considered myself pro-life. The problem, however, is just like many other Evangelicals, I have been far more passively pro-life than actively pro-life. Recently, I have been forced to both repent of my apathy concerning this issue and rethink the pro-life position. Thankfully, God has led me to the Abolitionist Movement. This growing group of individuals sees abortion as something that needs to be abolished entirely. The truth is, this is the ONLY Biblical and morally consistent path forward for ending abortion. 

If you have a heart for the unborn and would like to learn more about this movement, I invite you to join us on October 20th – at Memorial Heights Baptist Church for “Abolition Sunday.” At 10 AM and 11 AM, Wes Fuller of Operation Gospel will present his ministry and preach. At 5:00 PM, Jason Cantrell of ATL’s Voice will be sharing his amazing testimony and talking about his efforts of preaching the Gospel outside abortion clinics. God has used both these men to save dozens and dozens of lives. 

I am praying God will use this special event to melt the layers of ice around our cold and calloused hearts and force Christians to face this uncomfortable issue… whatever the cost. 

It may seem a strange transition from Dr. Seuss to the point of this article, and maybe it is. Or maybe we could all benefit from this make-believe story. Do like Horton and hear the hushed voices that others are ignoring. Then, boldly speak up to save those tiny little lives that others are seeking to end. Even this fairy-tale elephant understood that all people, regardless of their age, stage, or size, are worthy of life and should be protected. 

So let me close this article as Dr. Seuss closed the above-mentioned book: “Let that be a lesson to one and to all, a person is a person, no matter how small.”

Therefore, little lives matter.