The sweet, older woman expressed that she wanted to volunteer at our local pregnancy center. She had some counseling background and seemed interested in the cause of life.
When asked about the reason she wanted to volunteer, she replied, “Well, I’m retired now and have lots of time on my hands. I need something to do.”
This woman meant well, but I knew that her pro-life ministry “why” would not sustain her. Sure enough, after a few months, she decided she would rather volunteer to walk people’s dogs instead.
If you’re on staff at a pregnancy help center, I’m guessing you have a more compelling reason to put your hand to the plow than the fact that you’re bored and are looking for something to fill your time.
Boring is hardly an apt description for this ministry.
However, it’s good to review one’s ministry motivation from time to time—especially when opposition rears its ugly head, the battle for life goes to a new level, and stress levels are high.
In my last post, I mentioned some helpful biblical passages addressed to believers who are under pressure.
Such encouraging words, inspired by the Holy Spirit and written down for the benefit of believers down through history, help us respond well to difficulty.
At the same time, we must be clear on why we are doing this ministry. We need a level one motivation to ground us when the storm rages all around.
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When I started volunteering and then working on staff at a pregnancy help center, my initial motive was to find a justice/mercy ministry outside the four walls of my church.
I wanted to reach members of my community who had no interest in attending church services. This was a positive motivation, and I was indeed able to have many meaningful conversations, a few of which even resulted in people coming to church with me.
As time went on, I developed deeper compassion for women and girls facing unplanned pregnancies. I learned how to show them respect while meeting their needs.
This, too, was a good thing.
Then my attention turned to the young fathers facing unplanned pregnancies (or those trying to save their children from abortion). As a mother of three adult sons, my heart went out to them as well.
I wanted to make a difference by connecting with people in my community. I wanted to help girls and women in a pregnancy crisis.
I wanted to be a support to young men facing that same crisis.
These feelings of passion and compassion grew out of my conviction that human life is sacred from womb to tomb and that we have a moral obligation to protect the preborn.
Yet I still didn’t realize my bottom-line “why” for pro-life work—until I spoke at a local March for Life a few years ago.
As I pondered what to share, I thought of my son Samuel and his then-newborn daughter Helaina Joy.
I sensed the Lord asking me to imagine how Sam would feel if someone kidnapped and violently murdered his precious firstborn child.
The thought was horrifying, and I shoved it quickly from my mind.
Trying to imagine the gut-wrenching anguish and blinding rage my son would surely experience at losing his beloved Lainey in such a heartless way was too much.
Yet the split-second thought was enough for me to connect the dots.
I sensed God saying,
“That’s how I feel every time one of My precious image-bearers is destroyed in the womb.”
In that piercing moment of revelation, I finally understood my “why.”
It’s true that abortion is morally wrong. It’s true that, as a society, we should protect the most vulnerable among us.
It’s true that women and couples facing unplanned pregnancies deserve compassionate help, and that we should take the gospel to them outside of our church walls.
Yet all these true and good things flow out of that great bottom-line motive: our love for, and obedience to, our heavenly Father.
We may do this work for all kinds of good reasons, but this is the one that will sustain us. This is the one upon which we ground ourselves when hell shakes its fist in our face.
As pro-life Christians, our labor of love is founded on God’s profound and endless love for humanity.
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Our actions are not for our own sakes, or even primarily for the preborn, but for God Himself.
May your heart take courage as you continue to rescue His little ones.
