Pondering...Do you value life?

This is a post from 2010- words I really needed to hear again. Sometimes it is easy to forget the value of life.

Seems like a simple question, however, it's not. Do you value life? All life? Human life? Your life? How do you know? What gives evidence of this in your life? These are difficult questions - must they be answered?

Sometimes we are forced to look hard and long at ourselves and answer the tough questions - do we value life. This week, my family has been faced (some individually, some collectively) with several different situations that made us look at how we value life - others' and our own. We were made to realize that our reactions to different situations around us reveal our true value of human life.

If we say we value life, do we react that way when life around us is suffering. The Word tells us we are to do good to others when it is in our power to do so. .. Do we? Let us consider:

When shopping, if you come upon an elderly or older couple struggling with a situation - be it needing assistance with modern shopping or they have become ill in the store - how do you respond? Walk away, get someone else, stop and help them? Our response shows our value of that human life. This is just one example of our encounters this week.. what about when you are heading to work and a car runs the light - do you show grace when you realize that by some miracle you did not collide...or do you seek vengeance? If you witness a hit and run, do you stop to render aid? Even if it makes you late to your next destination? Even if the person is rude or belligerent?

When we value human life, our responses should show that- putting aside our personal emotions, anger, agenda to assist or show compassion on another...if it is in our power to do so. In doing so, what grace are we given? Does this move our Lord's compassion toward us? Does it reveal the Lord in our heart? I believe yes, it does.

Yesterday, in the midst of our daily business, our world was brought to a complete halt. It was our turn to need..to accept the compassion and assistance of others. A time to stop and reflect.. evaluate, challenge our values. In the shock of the situation, strangers rendered aide.. a witness came forth, grace was given; all walked away with only material damages. The tables were turned... we saw things from the other side.. the receiving side. Humbling...

God, in His wisdom, teaches us in many unusual ways. He makes us think, ponder, study deep the life we have been given...the grace unmerited. This week, we are reflecting on our values... and we are sure....here .. even when it is inconvenient....we value life.