Kobe Bryant death is reminder that life is precious

Many Americans have been struck with grief over last Sunday's news of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and their friends fatal helicopter crash. That evening I had a church member lose two relatives, one was expected, and one was not. We are reminded that life is precious, and it can be over in an instant.

I am always saddened when a young person dies. What would they have contributed to society had they lived a longer life? We have not been promised tomorrow, and there is no guarantee that we will live until our 80s or 90s. Psalm 90:12, asks The Lord to teach us to number our days. In other words, we should value each day that we have and try not to waste any of them. Some are blessed with more days than others.

You may have heard about the March for Life that recently took place in Washington D. C. For the first time in history a sitting U. S. President addressed the crowd in person. There were people there from across the nation, multiple generations, various ethnicities, Democrats and Republicans. They marched to echo the Psalmist as he writes "...you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb" Psalm 139:13. Those of us who stand for the unborn believe that life is a precious gift and each person is created by God.

Liz Mandeville holds a rosary while standing near I-55 during a local demonstration for National Life Chain on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, at the Cemetery of the Innocent in Cape Girardeau. The rosary was blessed at the Vatican and inherited from Mandeville's mother.Ben Matthews ~ Southeast 

Do you realize there are on average 3,000 babies aborted every day in the United States? Research indicates that more than 90% of abortions are for birth control. I am concerned that we live in a society that does not value human life. A higher percentage of minorities are aborted.

The Old Testament mentions the Canaanites who sacrificed their children to the god Molech. Are we like that ancient pagan culture? If we cannot value the lives of the most innocent, what about the elderly and/or disabled? The Nazis ended the lives of people whom they believed had no value. January 27 was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. 6 million Jews died during the Holocaust. Thousands of others died during that period through genocide. I read the other day that most Americans do not know basic facts about the Holocaust.

Many women had abortions because they were told it was not a baby -- just a clump of cells. Often, those in the abortion industry do not allow people facing a crisis pregnancy to know they have choices besides abortion. I am thankful for a local organization called, "Options for Women." You can get an ultrasound and see your baby before you make the irreversible decision of ending his or her life. We must show love and compassion to those who have had abortions. The celebrity who celebrates her abortion is not the average person. The majority live with shame and regret. Some are longing to hear that God will forgive them.

My wife and I struggled to conceive. I wrote an article about it eight years ago in this paper. Although we relied on modern science through in vitro fertilization, we believe God blessed us with a miracle child. I was amazed to hear her heartbeat at eight weeks -- before we could make out her form on the ultrasound. We rejoiced because a beating heart is the evidence of life.

For those who would argue that abortion is a political issue, I would disagree. It is a moral issue and the politicians have crossed over into territory once occupied by the clergy. Even so, the United States Constitution says that all humans have the right to life -- at least to be born without interference. Sadly, we live in a world where people are debating whether to provide medical attention to a baby who survives an abortion.

My heart is broken over Kobe Bryant's death. I see images of his daughter Gianna in my mind and it makes me sad. Seven other precious people lost their lives. And from that Sunday to this Sunday, 21,000 babies have been aborted. Although we do not know them, do we mourn their deaths? Life is precious.