THE FOUR COMPTONS AND MEDICAL TREATMENTS
Rickie and her brother Ernie Campton came home crying. “What’s to matter!?” Their parents asked.
“A girl who used to go to our school died.” Rickie said.
“Yeah,” said Ernie. “She thought it would please God. She told me once it was in the Bible to abstain from blood.”
Mr. Campton looked thoughtful. “I see. As you know your mom and I study the Bible a lot. In fact, I was studying this same subject last week because I know a man at work who believes the same thing.”
“What did you find out, Daddy?” Ernie asked.
“Well, let me look for those notes. Ah, here they are... 1 Samuel 14:32 through verse 35
says King Saul's whole army ate unbled meat without punishment from God because it was an emergency to save their lives.”
“What kind of emergency?” Asked Rickie, her tears having stopped.
“Well, all those men didn’t have any food. They would have died from starvation. They ate unbled livestock then built an altar of repentance to show respect for the law of Moses that was in effect at that time. God excused their breaking the law because it was done to save life.”
“Yeah,” said Ernie. “We must obey laws normally, but there is a place for everything especially when life is in danger.”
Mr. Campton smiled, “Good thinking, Son. You’re right we must normally obey the law. God puts governments and laws here to help people. But God is also reasonable and fair. He once inspired the king Solomon to write that there are places in time and space for doing things differently.”
Rickie’s face looked sad again. “So Angie,.... that was her name, shouldn’t have died? You’re saying God didn’t want that, right!”
“Yes. Plus there’s some other things Angie probably didn’t know about.”
“What?” Rickie and Ernie asked at the same time.
“Well, for example identical twins normally transfuse blood back and forth to each other via a shared placenta, and besides that mother’s milk includes white blood cells. God has caused these things to happen.”
Rickie’s face took on an angry, upset appearance. “This was so senseless and wrong! Angie should still be alive!”
“Yes, and some groups are like that on all medical situations, not just emergency blood transfusions, and they’re wrong about that too. For example, these notes I took say Christ said people need doctors. That’s at Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:31.”
“Dad,” Ernie said, “I believe I read somewhere Luke, who was one of the twelve disciples of Christ, was a doctor.”
“Right. I’ve got that in my notes too, son. Luke Colossians 4:14 says that. But you know, like I said, a few groups do preach against anyone ever using doctors for any medical conditions at all. Sometimes people, including babies, die from that kind of belief too.”
Now Rickie and Ernie’s mother spoke up. “I’ve got to tell you this, everybody. There’s a scripture that I always remember and try to live by. At Matthew 12:7 Christ says God wants ‘mercy not sacrifice.’ (Mt 12:7)
All the family looked thoughtful and their heads bowed in both sorrow and agreement.
“Dad, Mom...”
“What, Rickie?”
“I’m going to write those scriptures and what you said down then send it to Angie’s parents. They have a right to believe as they do but I also have a right to give them the real truth. Maybe it’ll save the life of one of Angie’s other brothers or sisters!”
Another year came and went. The four Camptons learned that Angie’s parents had both stopped believing what their religious leaders had told them was the Bible’s firm rule to never use blood even in an emergency.
They were eating at the dinner table on a Saturday. “Yes,” Mrs. Campton said, “Angie’s parents called here and said they appreciated Rickie’s letter. She read it even though her group had told her to never read anything opposed to its views.”
“But Angie’s still dead!” Rickie shouted.
“True. And they feel horrible, of course. But now they too are going to tell other people what they learned from your letter and your dad’s notes. It will save other lives. I like to think Angie is looking on right now and is proud of us all.”