“Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, O hold them back. If you say, ‘See, we did not know this,’ does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?” (Proverbs 24:11-12 NASB).
It must’ve been a challenge in the mid-1800s in America for those who were white, followers of Christ, and against slavery. Slavery was a booming business, and the country was divided over whether it should continue. Some—yes, even Christians—said although the practice was wrong, slaves were the property of their masters and others shouldn’t interfere. Maybe these sympathizers prayed, but they dared not go beyond that. The issue was too politically charged. Controversial. Never know where your neighbor might stand. Don’t want to offend; certainly don’t want to judge.
Besides, by then America had outlawed the importation of slaves into the country. The number of slaves would hopefully diminish over time. And anyway, there were other issues just as pressing—people in poverty with little to eat and no place to stay. Those people needed help too.
But there were other Christians—black and white—who called evil “evil,” stood together as one, and set out with God’s help to eradicate that evil. They prayed—absolutely—but they also wrote persuasive articles and books, gave impassioned speeches, lobbied congressman, and worked tirelessly to help the oppressed gain freedom. They put those action verbs in Proverbs 24:11 to work—delivering those who were being taken away to death and holding back those staggering to slaughter.
To them, man’s opinion was irrelevant. For that matter, so was the Supreme Court’s—which had pronounced in the Dred Scott Decision that blacks were essentially not fully human. What mattered was God’s truth, that all life was created by Him and deemed precious by Him. By God’s grace, the institution of slavery ended.
But evil didn’t.
The enemy of God—who’s behind every effort to kill, steal, and destroy—hatched another plan, a better plan in his estimation. He would kill thousands in America—every single day through abortion. And because he’s the master of lies and deception, he would get scores to support his plan, whether overtly or tacitly, from Supreme Court justices to political leaders to, yes, even professing Christians.
After all, we really shouldn’t interfere. The issue is controversial, politically charged. The Supreme Court has spoken. Hopefully the number of abortions will diminish over time, and besides, there are other pressing issues to deal with.
God says something different: “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, O hold them back” (Proverbs 24:11). Deliver. Hold back. Action.
So, for followers of Christ, the challenge is before us right now in 2009. Will we call evil “evil”? Will we follow God’s directive? I, for one, am thankful for those who did so in the 1800s.
I also want to add that many have had abortions and are enduring the pain of it even now. Please know that God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness are abundant. We ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. You don't have to bear the guilt and shame of sin. He is there.
