'Quality of Life'

'Quality of life'.  Brothers and sisters, can we think about that phrase for a moment?  Can we think about what we are saying when we are using it?  Can we, as Christians, really use that phrase?

Consider the way we use it:

"Ma'am, your child will be born with Down syndrome.  I cannot guarantee his quality of life.  Here are your options."

"Sir, your father is in the middle stages of Alzheimer's.  His quality of life is decreasing more and more.  We need to discuss end of life care."

"What do you mean I'll never move my arms or legs again?  You mean I'll probably have to stay on this vent as well?  This isn't much of a quality of life!  I can't live like this!"

It would seem to me, that we have replaced the idea of 'not suffering too much' with 'quality of life'.  As though quality somehow correlates to suffering.  My friends, suffering is very much a part of the human condition.  We all suffer.  When is 'too much'?

'Quality of life', though, what does that phrase really mean?  Does it mean that we humans have become like packages of meat?  Some of us have Grade A quality lives, while others, Grade B, C, or D?  What decides quality of life?  Who decides?

In Scripture, the quality of human life is this: man was created in the image of God.  Human life, in all its stages and ages, is worthy of dignity and existence for this reason alone.

From another Scriptural standpoint, while man is also created in the image of God, men also are the sons and daughters of Adam.  Therefore, we were all created perfect- but we are all perfect no more.  Sinners, all of us, sick and not sick, disabled and not disabled, find our equal worth and equal value in the same source- the Cross of Christ.

If we want to say that a man is suffering very much, that he has acquired a severe disability, he is in much pain, he cannot work, his family is stressed to the max, and he is very depressed, say those things.  But don't try to determine the quality of his life based upon his suffering.  His life is still of equal quality (equality)- of equal value- to anyone else's.  It is as deserving of protection and preservation- even from his own very depressed mind- as is all of ours.

'Quality of life' is a dangerous phrase.  It threatens equality, human dignity, and judges human life as 'worthy' or 'not worthy'.  'Quality of life', in this day and age of 'options', and perhaps even 'duty', can turn all too quickly into 'qualified to live'