This entire week, the television has been swamped with news about the Terri Schiavo case. This is a woman who has lived for fifteen years with a feeding tube, but nothing else to keep her alive. A feeding tube gives her the same nutrients you and I get from a glass of water or the food we eat. It just happens to be liquid.
So many say this woman ?has a right to die?, but I feel she also ?has a right to life?. How easy it is to believe that anyone in her condition would just want to give up on life, because of the way ?WE? perceive her to be in her body. In fact, many say she's ?not there?. How do we know when someone isn't in their body, when their body is so alive? Who are we to give directions to live or die? Who are we to take something like this in our own hands? If her life has been sustained on the feeding tube for these many years, and has no other sicknesses or diseases in her body, why isn't it okay to let her live until the Lord gets ready to take her home?
How ironic that this situation is playing out during Holy Week, and her seventh day without food and water will be Good Friday. I wonder if the Judge realized what was taking place this week, when he set the date for her feeding tube to be removed. I sort of doubt it, since he's been so adamant . . .
This entire week, the television has been swamped with news about the Terri Schiavo case. This is a woman who has lived for fifteen years with a feeding tube, but nothing else to keep her alive. A feeding tube gives her the same nutrients you and I get from a glass of water or the food we eat. It just happens to be liquid.
So many say this woman 'has a right to die', but I feel she also 'has a right to life'. How easy it is to believe that anyone in her condition would just want to give up on life, because of the way 'WE' perceive her to be in her body. In fact, many say she's 'not there'. How do we know when someone isn't in their body, when their body is so alive? Who are we to give directions to live or die? Who are we to take something like this in our own hands? If her life has been sustained on the feeding tube for these many years, and has no other sicknesses or diseases in her body, why isn't it okay to let her live until the Lord gets ready to take her home?
How ironic that this situation is playing out during Holy Week, and her seventh day without food and water will be Good Friday. I wonder if the Judge realized what was taking place this week, when he set the date for her feeding tube to be removed. I sort of doubt it, since he's been so adamant about her death. But, should she die on Sunday, which is proclaimed by Christians to be Resurrection Sunday, what a testimony to all those that see this as murder.
Remember almost 2000 years ago, another one was put to an untimely death. But, Jesus told the disciples that the Son of Man would be betrayed and condemned to death. He knew what was going to happen to him. He hung on that cross between two thieves, knowing his life was ending on this earth, but that he would rise again. He suffered and died, took our sins on his body, although he was free from sin. But, he did this that you and I could have the chance of eternal life with Him.
Jesus did nothing to warrant being crucified, just as Terri has done nothing to warrant a death of starvation. This is where these two cases cross paths. Man has spent lots of time, in both cases, making a case for death. Man succeeded in the first; will he succeed in the second? We will soon know.
Hopefully, Terri knows the Lord as her personal Saviour, and she will join Him, when she leaves this earth.
Mark 15:13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.
Mark 15:14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
Copyright 2005 by Barbara Sanders, Empire, AL. Used by permission.
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