Life-Affirming

In Isaiah 42, we can read a clarion call to serve our Creator by allowing His love and truth to flow through our lives. We can read these words:
5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

This passage speaks to the supremacy of God and reminds us that He is the one who gives us our very lives. This can certainly affect our attitude toward those who are yet to be born.  It also can give us a heart to love others as Christ has loved us, giving His life so that we might have eternal life and share that life-changing message.  We are made in God's image and we reflect His glory - that realization can instill in our hearts a deep love for those around us.

+++++

We can counter the mindset of a culture that doesn't reverence life by creating what has been called a "culture of life." Proverbs 24 describes this type of work:
11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

Pro-life pregnancy help centers, also called pregnancy resource centers, are lights on the landscape of our culture.  Some have found themselves on the receiving end of vandalism yet to be prosecuted.  And, generally, there are lawmakers that would want to shut them down and shut out their life-affirming message. 

But, contained within those centers is life-affirming truth: truth about the reality of the life of an unborn child through those which have ultrasound technology on hand.  And, for those who are faith-based, the truth about a relationship with Jesus Christ, the One who has given us life.

And, a new survey shows that there is widespread support for their work, to the extent that there should be public funding for them.  A recent Christian Post article states:

Polling conducted by CRC Research between Aug. 3 and Aug. 7 reviewed by The Christian Post shows that 74% of Americans surveyed support the public funding of pro-life pregnancy centers after learning about their services.

Specifically, 42% of the 1,600 likely voters surveyed strongly support the public funding of pro-life pregnancy centers, and an additional 32% somewhat support the idea.

The survey not only polled respondents, but educated them.  The article notes:

The survey informed respondents that pregnancy resource centers "provide resources for pregnant women in need, including prenatal care, clothing, diapers, [and] housing assistance," "empower women to choose life for their child during pregnancy and after delivery," "allow women to reach their goals and keep their baby" and "allow women facing unexpected pregnancies to keep their baby and give them the tools to achieve success and independence."

And, this support likely transitions into the voting booth, as the article states: 

The poll asked respondents if they are more or less likely to support "a candidate who supports legislation that publicly funds pregnancy centers." Sixty-seven percent of participants classified themselves as "more likely" to vote for candidates who support the public funding of pro-life pregnancy centers. Thirty-one percent said they were "much more likely" and 35% "somewhat more likely" to do so.

Another finding of the survey is that respondents overwhelmingly support the prosecution of those who have vandalized these pregnancy help centers.  The Post story relates:

The poll found overwhelming support (80%) for prosecuting those responsible for vandalism against pro-life pregnancy centers and churches and little opposition to the proposal (12%).

Eighty percent of respondents also agreed that "elected officials should publicly denounce this behavior and call for those engaging in it to be brought to justice." Just 11% of likely voters disagreed with the aforementioned statement.

Plus, around 6-in-10 likely voters said that a candidate's refusal to speak out against this type of violence would make them "less likely" to support that candidate.

I do recognize that there may be pitfalls of pregnancy help centers receiving government grants, because that could result in regulations that could curb their work.  

You may be surprised to know that taxpayer money is already going to pregnancy help centers, according to a piece that ran several months ago at MinistryWatch.  It said at the time: "... in Texas, the same legislature that outlawed abortion will invest $100 million of tax payer dollars in abortion-alternatives programs over the next two years, according to the Associated Press."  The piece went on to say that, "AP tracked spending in a dozen states and found that $89 million was allocated for Christian crisis pregnancy centers...That spending was up from $17 million a decade ago."

So, despite the work of the abortion industry, a portion of which receives taxpayer funding, to discredit the effective work of these centers, this survey indicates an affinity for their work. There does seem to be widespread support, and these centers operate based on the willingness of people in the communities they serve to provide the resources necessary to keep going.  And, even though Roe has been overturned, there is still plenty of life-affirming work to be done.

I have said that these centers are on the front lines of pro-life work - they connect personally with abortion-minded women and families in crisis, and they are countering the lies of the culture with the truth of the Scriptures.  The question for all of us is: where does God want to use us?  Being involved in this type of ministry is certainly a rewarding response.