Stand Up for LIFE

I don’t consider myself a social activist or crusader, but I hope that those who know me, see me as a defender of life. This was not always the case.

Until the early 1980s I straddled the fence when it came to pro-life convictions, having been strongly influenced by pro-choice talking points throughout high school and college. During a time of moral upheaval in our society, women of all ages were vulnerable to the “quick fix” promised by legal, available pregnancy termination. Several of my future friends found themselves facing the devastating fear and anguish of unplanned pregnancies. Years before I met them, they made very difficult choices that led to great regret. Back then I wouldn’t have had godly, healing or helpful counsel for them. I lacked a moral compass and knowledge of God’s ways.

But my eyes were opened to the real cost of abortion soon after I became a Christian. Through the international radio ministry of Focus On The Family, my heart was convicted. I began to understand the worth of each life in utero, the generational tragedy of abortion, and the ongoing pain for those who choose to abort. Simply put, ALL lives matter!

Now, you don’t have to be a Christian to value the unborn and their mothers. For instance, the group Feminists for Life of America offers important insight into this issue. Established in 1972, they are a “nonsectarian, nonpartisan, grassroots organization that seeks real solutions to the challenges women face.” They point to the fact that early suffragettes were pro-life. And I love their slogan: “Women deserve better than abortion.”

Certainly as a Christ-follower, one cannot deny His compassion for the unborn, the elderly, the defenseless and the abandoned! To take seriously our faith in the Creator God and His Son Jesus Christ, means to take His priorities as our own. In the Psalms we read that He knows each life before birth, forming us in our mothers’ wombs (Psalm 139:13). No matter what dire circumstances surround and impact a pregnancy, life should be cherished.

You might be wondering why this heavy topic demands our attention so early in the new year?

Because this month we observe Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Once again the battle to protect the unborn comes to the forefront in our Christian community.

Standing up for life, we must remember we’re called to be compassionate people, not passing judgment on those who've made decisions they regret. Our motive should always be to offer help and hope. We dare not forget about the “logs” in our own eyes: our personal affinity for sin! For we all make mistakes, sometimes putting ourselves or others at risk. How we handle the negative consequences of wrong choices proves where our beliefs really spring from. Truly an unexpected crisis “can bring unexpected blessing.”

Though not everyone will have the awesome privilege of supporting a young mother one-on-one, we all can invest in the ministry that makes such help possible! Plug into your local pregnancy care ministry. They always need prayer, funding and volunteers. Plan on becoming a monthly donor, a prayer partner, and walk for life this spring. You might even participate in the volunteer training, you’ll be glad you did.