Are Living Wills OK?

Q

Having been a registered nurse for years before retiring, I am quite familiar with Living Wills and have always, for the most part, been for them. I had a Living Will for my mother, and I presently have one for myself. However, with Mr. Obama’s health plan exposed, it seems that the new focus of Living Wills has, or is, changing to become euthanasia, or assisted suicide, or perhaps that has always been the hidden thrust of Living Wills! I have not been able to find Scriptural evidence for or against this specifically. Please speak to this as I do not know whether I should keep my Living Will or destroy it.

A

The issue over living wills only becomes a scriptural one when it involves suicide. Think of the days before “modern medicine”. When a person contracted a terminal illness or suffered a life threatening accident, they died unless God intervened and healed them. There was no attempt to artificially prolong their life with organ transplants, chemicals, hi-tech equipment, etc. In that sense a DNR clause in our will doesn’t interfere with God’s plan for us, it yields to it. In my opinion there’s nothing wrong with a care plan that doesn’t interfere with God’s will.