Life.

What does it mean to be pro-life?

I believe LIFE comes from God and is so amazing, so vast and such a miracle that it could never be squeezed down or boxed into a political party. Life is made in the image of God and that includes the unborn, and also those who have been born; each man and woman, black, white, rich, poor, marginalized, elite, foreign, oppressed, strong, disabled, young and old. Each is hand-stitched together in love to reflect the glory of our Creator. He loves us so much that He knows the hairs on our heads, Republican and Democrat alike, and He sent His son to die for each one of us. We are all worthy of dignity, extravagant love, and amazing grace, despite how we’ve all fallen short.

Webster defines life as “the period of time when a person is alive.” But the word Jesus uses in John 10:10 when he says he has come to give life is the Greek word Zoe which means, “every living soul” and “of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, a life active and vigorous, and to last forever.”

This is the kind of life I want to be for. It’s the kind of life I’ve received by the grace and love of Jesus Christ, despite how short I’ve fallen of His glory and how much I’ve broken the law. The amazing love that has been shown to me by Him and by graceful people who follow Him is what has transformed my life. It is only by His grace that I can say I am pro-life.

I don’t personally believe the front lines of life and death are at the polls where the laws will be changed. I believe the law is important, but agree with Jesus that it is powerless to transform. “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.” Romans 8:3.

When it comes to the unborn, I believe the battle of life and death lies in the hearts of pregnant women who are alone and afraid, and who probably feel judged. I believe being pro life means sitting face to face with her and telling her that her life matters, that she is made in the image of God and that He promises her a hope and a future. It’s telling her she is forgiven for her sins and worthy of extravagant love, that she is a daughter, that she belongs, that God will never leave her or forsake her or her child, and that she does not have to be ashamed or afraid. It is being for her as well as her child. It is holding her hand and sharing a love that is stronger than any law and has the power to transform, redeem and save.

I believe being pro-life includes the life of the woman who has had an abortion. One out of three women have walked this unthinkable road and are silently suffering in shame through the election dialogue. If you are pro life, you are for her, a sinner in desperate need of Truth and grace. Jesus has come for her too, to cleanse her from all unrighteousness and set her free from the shackles of shame.

Being pro-life is so much more than being anti-abortion. It is seeing life as a gift from God and seeing all people of all races, ethnicities, religions, sinful backgrounds and social classes as being made in His image and worthy of being treated with dignity. It’s giving a voice to the voiceless, the vulnerable and the marginalized, both born and unborn. I have been sad to see how human life has been debated in this election in a divisive, hurtful and confusing way. Life refers to all life, comes from God alone and cannot be contained by a political party or candidate. The zoe life Jesus offers is way too big for that!

Each American on both sides is a gift from God, worthy of dignity and grace. We all desperately desire to be understood, heard, valued and loved now more than ever. It’s time to move on with life.