Speak Up!
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8,9)
There is probably no other Bible passage that impacts Christians to protect the preborn child than Proverbs 31:8,9. It is simple, clear, and to the point. Do something! The question remains, what?
Step #1: Pray
This step bears repeating. Begin by talking to God. When asking in faith and believing that Goes does all things according to His will, you can approach Him with confidence that He will lead you in the right direction (Matthew 21:22).
Step #2: Learn
When I became involved with life issues as a college student I certainly had a lot to learn. I started with the basics, learning the developmental stages of life and what abortion really was. I learned the details regarding the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling. And, I learned about God’s view about life: born, preborn, the healthy, and the ailing.
Finding information about abortion is not difficult today. Start your search on this website and if you feel courageous, tackle the whole Internet. That should keep you busy for a while!
Step #3: Inventory
I am talking about a self-inventory. Scripture describes how each of us is given different gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 14:1,12). What are your gifts? I am not talking about your interests but rather, your gifts or abilities. What are the things you do that you are good at?
Equally important, what do others think you are good at? Ask your trusted friends who will not simply tell you what they think you want to hear. Find those friends who can be candid with you as you seek out what you can do to help others.
Step #4: Prioritize
A person often discovers his gifts are not always the same as his interests, and his interests may not be his gifts. This requires a prioritization or a reprioritization of your life. So where do you begin?
Start with God’s Word and the reminder of life’s top priority: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Your journey in life is all about God. Glorifying God in all you do speaks directly about your attitude and your priorities. Life is not about you and what you want and what you can get. Life is about God.
Glorifying God means walking through life, repeating the thought, “Thy will be done.” Scripture tells us: “This is love for God: to keep his commands” (1 John 5:3).
Jesus summarized the commands of God when He said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” ; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).
Do you see how you can come full circle? Speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves is how you show love to others and, in showing love to others, you glorify God. It is a priority system which puts God first and others second. The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:3-5)
Step #5: Seek
Now the work begins. You now regularly talk to God in prayer. You have learned the issues, inventoried your gifts, and realigned your priorities. Now you put everything to good use. You seek the activities that are the best match with your gifts as you speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. To get started I suggest the following ideas:
- Volunteer at a pregnancy care center.
- Write letters to the editor.
- Write your government leaders.
- Run for government office.
- Financially support pro-life efforts.
- Demonstrate in your words and actions your respect for human life.
- Support, befriend, and/or sponsor a single mother or a home for mothers ministry.
- Write a paper on a life topic for school.
This is just a start. In your own way, you can use your talents to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Congratulations! Now, get to work.
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