Imagine you found yourself on an episode of John Quiñone’s “What Would You Do?” television series and observed:
- A distraught man is standing on the side of a bridge, his legs slightly bent, prepared to jump into the icy water below.
- A stranger slurs, “I’m heading out!” to her friend across the bar, waves with her keys, and stumbles toward the door, obviously under the influence.
- You overhear a weeping teenage girl talking to her friend about her surprise pregnancy, asking what she thinks she should do.
What would you do? Each of the scenarios is life threatening. Anyone with an ounce of the God-given moral faculty would try to help the suicidal man or the drunken woman, right? In fact there’d probably be a group of would-be life savers—Christians and non-Christians—gathering around the at-risk person.
But what about the young lady considering her options?
Responses would likely range from: “It’s none of our business. She can do what she wants with her body…” to “I really wanted to say something. My brother has been waiting to adopt a baby for so very long…” to “I just had to say something. She didn’t know me from Adam. But God knows her and her baby. And He loves them both…”
From the First Century onward, Christians have given high value to the sacredness of life; that is what sets us apart from others in our society. But secular culture’s lack of concern for the unborn has creeped into our community. It’s easier to ignore the subject of abortion—especially with a stranger—than it is to graciously address the issue.
Getting involved costs us something. But not doing so costs a life.
So, whether Mr. Quiñones walks onto the scene or not…What Would You Do?
