I just finished reading an article on Christianity Today , it was an interview with Bristol Palin regarding her new book and the topic of abstinence. I agree and disagree with some of her points of view, but the thing that shocked me the most were some of the comments in reaction to the article.
In the interview she states that her son “Tripp is the light” of her life and a reader characterized her comment as one that sends an erroneous message to other teens. How saying that you love your son is wrong? I understand and agree that having a child out of wedlock is a sin, but is a sin of the parents, not of the child. So what is the recommendation here, she should be ashamed of her son?
She sinned. She admitted it, she repented. Who are we to judge? Are our sins any different? The Word says to us, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person’s eye” Matthew 7:5
A child born out of wedlock already comes with a list of situations that will affect their whole life. They will experience the absence of a nuclear family life, probably even the absence of a parental figure. Most out of wedlock children come from unskilled parents that will try to raise them the best way they can, but without the proper skills. They may experience feelings of rejection and abandonment. Should we encourage out of wedlock children? No! but once they are here, what impact we as a society contribute to their futures?
Where is our love and mercy? What happened to no condemnation?
As a society and as Christians we need to reevaluate ourselves on how we contribute to child abuse and exploitation. How our attitudes and our lack of involvement in our children’s lives may create some of these issues.
- Do you know where your teens are? Who they keep company with?
- Do you read the things they post in social media? (Good Lord I still get horrified with things I read in the walls of very underage children whose parents I know!)
- Do you know who they talk to?
- Are you afraid to talk to your children about sex and its true purpose? Or do you just tell them not to do it and wish for the best?
- Are you the first one to reject someone who becomes pregnant outside of marriage?
- Are you judgmental of single parents?
- Or maybe you don’t judge them but give them no assistance, even when you are able.
I think its time to stop pointing the finger at others and see where our own
contribution to the problem is. These new children did not ask to come into this world, but they did and they have a divine purpose. God knitted them too in their mother’s womb No, we should not encourage and make it seem like out of wedlock pregnancies are cool, but once the child is here, those children deserve the same love, affection and chance as any other child.
Food for thought
Blessings
