The Danger of the Human Measuring Stick
I came across a TikTok video on an account of a mom whose baby has Down Syndrome. The video featured her precious baby smiling and wiggling around while watching his mom. In the corner was a comment from another user who said, in essence, people with Down syndrome are not beautiful, that they endure terrible physical pain, and they have a shorter life span.
The mom of this little guy posted that video to show her happy baby, not in pain, who is just as beautiful and deserving of life as anyone.
What if we gauged every human life according to the measuring stick that person used?
He isn’t beautiful. Are we saying every person who might not be beautiful doesn’t deserve life?
He endures physical pain. Don’t we all at some point in life? How many people are born in perfect health, who suffer an injury or develop a disease that causes chronic pain later in life?
He may have a shorter life span. Mightn’t we all? Not one of us is born with a label on us that let’s our parents know how long our life will be. We can be born in perfect health and have an accident or a terminal illness or become a victim of a pandemic.
This is why allowing people to determine the value of life is so dangerous. Our human nature allows us, almost encourages us, to find the negatives and therefore seek the most comfortable outcomes. We gauge by survival of the fittest, social acceptance, full ability over different ability.
People with special needs aren’t necessarily disabled. They are differently abled. They can do things we can’t. They see things from a perspective we’re unable to. Most live the same lives we do. They work, they participate in community activities and events, take classes to better themselves, and they desire a family and an amazing career.
Who gets to decide whether they’re capable of achieving those worthy goals? God. The One True God who created them, who gave them life, and who gave them their ability to navigate this life. God is better equipped than any of us to decide if a person should be born. He knows the plan He made and the purpose He made for every life.
I have health problems that are seen as disabilities. I have anxiety, which often interferes with my life. I have pain, I don’t know how long I’m going to live, and, I suppose whether or not I’m beautiful is based on who you ask. Is my life not worthy? I believe my life has value because someone loves me. In fact, many people love me. I’m thankful that the TikTok commenter, or anyone who thinks like them, doesn’t get to have a say about the value of my life.
When we step in and circumvent God’s plan, it can’t end well. Not for the child and certainly not for their mother. Instead of seeing obstacles, we must be a people who see potential in every life, who see beauty in every life, who value any length of time we might have with those who love us and whom we love.
Let’s use a new measurement to place value on others. Does someone love them? The answer is always “yes” because even if no one on this earth does, our Heavenly Father does, and His love for each of us cannot be measured for it flows for eternity.
