discard: … to get rid of especially as useless or unwanted … — Merriam-Webster.com
Recently, I was walking my dog and praying. I came upon a pink silicone bracelet, on the ground, with the words Young Life printed on it. The item lay discarded in an empty field right behind a facility that promotes death.
Young Life. Discarded. Let that sink in.
Have you taken your place on the wall?
Was it an accident, or was it intentional? Did she drop it unawares, or deliberately throw it away?
Some synonyms for discard: abandon, cancel, eliminate, reject, remove, renounce. This is the enemy’s playbook.
Holding that bracelet in my hand, I felt a flood of grief and anger wash over me. But mostly anger. “Enough,” I said. “ENOUGH!”
And when I got home, I immediately notified my prayer-warrior posse.
Enough. Are we tired yet? Are we tired of the enemy’s trying to discard our children — throwing away young lives full of hope?
And yet, this is bigger than just the unborn. What else is being stolen or destroyed? Who else has been “discarded”?
- thousands of children in the foster-care system;
- teens who harm themselves, are suicidal, or suffer from addiction or eating disorders;
- children who are homeless and/or trafficked;
- juveniles in detention;
- untold numbers of boys living in single-mother homes, with no male role model present.
We continue to armor up and pray for these children and youths. But when do we go on the offensive? When do we storm the state capitols, the Supreme Court, the Congress — as we do for the right to life or for educational malfeasance? Do we stand up at city council meetings and demand action on such businesses as smoke shops and game rooms? When do we stand for election to the board of a nonprofit, or attend public-service or accountability meetings for juvenile justice institutions or for child-protective services agencies?
One antonym for discard: to choose.
To choose what? This is a little bigger than choosing a name off the Angel Tree. It’s choosing to foster, to adopt; it’s choosing to take a fatherless boy fishing or to teach him how to change a tire — rather than choosing each weekend to go tee up at your golf game; it’s volunteering at a mental-health institution or a homeless shelter; it’s praying with that terrified mom at the ER, whose daughter has just slit her wrists. Even better — it’s babysitting all the rest of her kids while she sits waiting at the ER!
Young Lives. Discarded? Unwanted? Choosing life is more than praying.
What a concept: choosing life, versus discarding things.
Father, we see all this evil going viral all over our nation: Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed (Isa. 59:14 NLT). But we thank You that your Ekklesia is waking up: A righteous person hates a false statement, but a wicked person acts disgustingly and shamefully (Prov. 13:5 NASB). It is true that we are fighting — for the unborn, for fair elections, for honest lawmakers, for ethical medicine. But it’s not enough. Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to truly see and listen. Help us get out of our comfort zones. Open our hands to touch. Help us to remember what you told us in John 14, that we can do greater works than You did, Jesus, because You now are seated in authority at the right hand of God. When we walk humbly, do justice, and love mercy (Mic. 6:8), then our acts will go viral throughout our nation: … your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10 NIV). Amen.
How are you praying for those around you who may feel “discarded”? Share below.
Wenona Andress, LCSW, is a clinical social worker and therapist in Lubbock, Texas. Photo credit: Canva.