“Everyone to whom much is given, of him will much be required.”
– Luke 12:48
A few weeks ago
while sidewalk counseling, a young woman walked out of the abortion facility
glaring at me and hurling insults. She placed herself two feet away from me
with her camera out screaming degrading names and accusations into my face. Do
I believe that this woman had no right to scream in my face? Absolutely. Do I
believe that the police should reprimand for this sort of harassment in public
spaces? Absolutely. But I also believe that pro-lifers should not hold
pro-choicers to the same standard of courtesy. Pro-lifers must understand that pro-choicers
don’t know the unconditional love of the Living God.
They believe that dignity and love
are conditional in some way to place or size or ability or circumstances. Pro-choicers
do not understand the totally unconditional love of God. Their confusion and
sometimes aggression or hatred stem from a lack of love—from abuse, neglect, or
past abortions. It is our duty before God to acknowledge the hurt in their
life, to realize that where we have been given much, they have been given
nothing, to care deeply about post-abortive women, and to offer them
unconditional love.
While harassment should always have
consequences, pro-lifers must recognize that we have been given unconditional
love and peace that a pro-choicer does not have. We must call evil what it is,
but we must always do so in charity with deep respect for the individual
regardless of how they treat us.
Thank you so much for the encouragement to us to be living in and displaying the love of God, especially in difficult circumstances. It’s a needed reminder to me that our fight / our war is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual powers of darkness….