As our school celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the stand he took for justice and equal rights, I thought that it would be appropriate to bring up another issue of justice that is not receiving as much attention on campus: abortion. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the landmark case Roe v. Wade. Since that date, the lives of over fifty million unborn children have been ended on the altar of convenience, privacy, and women's rights. This number is astounding. This would be roughly equivalent to killing the entire population of Australia twice and then some. We live in a culture of death that elevates instant gratification at the cost of personal responsibility and morality. As Christians, we must speak out against abortion and live in a manner that values life at all stages.
For Christians, ignoring abortion is not an option. There is simply no middle ground. William Wilberforce, the great abolitionist who led the fight against the slave trade in England once said to Christians sitting on the fence about slavery, "You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say you did not know."
We cannot be silent or ignore an issue simply because it is unpopular or departs from the party line of progressivism. True courage is standing up to the popular culture and speaking the truth that no one wants to hear. In this instance, it means saying abortion ends the life of an innocent child. Yes, speak the truth in love. But don’t forget that sometimes, telling the truth needs to be done firmly and without compromise. Just as Wilberforce believed Christians needed to work together to end slavery, so must Christians today join together to support life and speak out against barbaric institutions like Planned Parenthood.
However, speaking up means more than just condemning abortion. There is a whole range of activities that Christians can engage in to support life. Churches should welcome and provide support for single women expecting children and provide aid to those seeking to adopt. Individuals can volunteer or financially support crisis pregnancy centers. Christians should support pro-life politicians seeking to pass pro-life laws and defund Planned Parenthood (which has been caught on video discussing the sale of baby parts). Most importantly, Christians should pray. Pray for women in difficult situations, pray for the Holy Spirit to change the hearts of abortion doctors, and pray for those engaging in this cultural battle on a daily basis.
Christians are called to actively engage the culture while promoting the truth and grace of Jesus Christ. On the issue of abortion, Christians cannot afford to be silent or passive. One day we will stand before Jesus and have to answer for our actions. Did we stand up for life, or did we remain silent in an attempt to appease the world? I would like to challenge every student at Covenant to give at least ten dollars to a pro-life organization. There are a plethora of good ministries including Live Action, Save the Storks, and Students for Life. Ten dollars is nothing. We often happily spend ten dollars on a trip to Starbucks or Taco Bell and even more on the new clothes we purchase. So, let's speak up and give a little of our resources to support life.