According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the term ‘pro-life’ is defined simply as, “opposed to abortion.”
When you take a look around our world, when you see the pro-life marches and anti-abortion protests, it is easy to limit ‘pro-life’ to being an opposition against removing a fetus from its mother’s womb before it breathes its first breath.
What many pro-life advocates fail to realize, however, is pro-life means more than just a stand to protect life at conception. If we are to be pro-life for the lives of babies, then we must be pro-life for all human lives.
Author and minister Brennan Manning once said, “How I treat others, whether white, black, Hispanic, Asian…speaks of who I am more poignantly than the pro-life sticker on the back of my car.”
It makes little sense to me when individuals who are first in line to raise their pro-life posters up in the air are also the first to speak against the protection of innocent lives.
Some of these individuals are the first to stand against US immigrants through programs such as DACA, the first to viciously attack the LBGT community and the first to unfairly stereotype fellow Americans when their skin color is a different shade than their own.
As a Christian, I understand there are certain ideals I will disagree with based on my beliefs as a follower of Christ. I do not always agree with certain people, but I am called to respect them because they are children of God.
My pro-life conviction not only demands innocent life is precious, but also the lives of the guilty.
If we are to wear the label of pro-life, we must take a hard look at what ‘life’ means, and when we do, we realize our label must carry over to any human being who has life. This is especially difficult when we read news articles and stories of horrible atrocities committed by ruthless, hateful, blatantly guilty people.
Being pro-life does not mean we can handpick which lives we want to defend. If you claim to be pro-life, be ready to stand up for all lives — even those you disagree with, even those who hate you, even those who hurt you or those you love.
If you do not value all lives, then the outcome is simple: you are not pro-life.
However, if you recognize every human — every unborn child, every person at your workplace, every black, white, Hispanic, Asian, criminal and innocent person received the gift of life, and it is not your job to decide when it ends, then you can dare to wear the label of pro-life.
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