The Value Of Life

A man in India is trying to sue his parents for giving birth to him without his consent. The 27-year-old Mumbai businessman says it is wrong to bring children into the world because they have to put up with lifelong suffering. He believes in ‘anti-natalism’ which is a philosophy that teaches people should stop having children because life is full of misery and it is harming the planet. He feels there is no point to humanity and that existence is pointless. So far, no one has been willing to act as his legal representative.

Such views about the value of human life are tragic. It is true that life is not always easy. Thousands of years ago, Job’s friend said, “People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.” (Job 5:7) Yes, life is hard, but that doesn’t mean that humanity has no value or serves no purpose. The lack of respect toward human life is troubling.

As Rick Warren has pointed out in some of his writings, “your parents may not have planned for you but God did.” God knew long ago that you would be born and he has a plan and purpose. The Psalmist is clear: “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16)

How sad to see people in this world devalue life created in the image of God. As believers, we have a calling to remind the world about this truth and about the one who is the Giver of Life.