What about Life?

All human life is important

By Michelle Baumann

When we recognize that God is the creator of all things, we understand that all life has value. Upholding the biblical view of creation creates a foundation not only for addressing some of the evolutionary language that often appears in middle-school texts, but it also provides a starting point for discussing life issues.

As middle school students become critical thinkers, they begin to wrestle with issues like racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, and the like. They recognize that valuing one life over another based on skin tone, gender, ability, or age is wrong, but they may not be able to explain why this is the case. Help them find the answers they’re looking for by taking a closer look at Genesis 1 and 2 as well as Ephesians 4:11-22.

• How can these gifts be depicted artistically in art class? How could students create poetry based on the value of life established in creation?
• How could discussions based on fairness be used to validate life?

Help students compile a list of special gifts God gives specifically to human beings, gifts that prove all human life is important. (God makes humans by hand, desires a relationship with them, gives humans opportunities for stewardship, and breathes the breath of life into them. Jesus dies for each human, and the Holy Spirit lives inside all those who are called to faith.) The gifts God gives aren’t conditional; they don’t depend on human opinions, looks, or abilities.

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