I am saddened when I see anti-abortion signs as I drive down the freeway. Yes, as a pro-life individual I am sad about all the abortions in the world. I find the idea of abortion cruel, but this is not why I’m sad about these signs. I’m sad about these signs because they are tools used to inflict guilt on young ladies that have or are considering an abortion. Because not only do I find abortion cruel, I also find guilt cruel!

I’ve had three close friends that I know of that have had abortions. In two of the three cases, I found out about their abortions after they had already happened. In each case, as they shared with me the decision they had made and the action they had taken there were tears in their voices. In the one case that I knew about prior to the decision, I urged against abortion. I prayed for her to decide against abortion. But in the end, she still chose to have the abortion. When I spoke with her after the fact, just like I had experienced with my other two friends there were also tears in her voice. In those moments I did not feel my Christian duty was to express my great opposition to abortions, they already knew I felt that way. Rather, my responsibility was to affirm my love for them, more importantly, to affirm God’s love for them and assure them that God does forgive (Yes this was a question they all had).

Would it not as Christians be far more beneficial to use our resources to come around these young ladies that have gone through these experiences and love them, to use our resources to provide counseling that will help them as many of them deal with the regret and grief of what they have just gone through? Could we use the resources we use to put up signs and picket abortion clinics to do more preventative training in our communities on the front side of an abortion decision? It seems like proactive work within a community will go a lot further than the last-minute guilt trip of a freeway sign that says, “Abortion will leave you feeling empty inside.” Yes, I’ve actually seen that sign, and yes that “empty” feeling you have about that sign is the recognition that guilt is cruel!

I hear people say, “well the unborn need a voice.” Let God be their voice. Our voices should be used to minister and love on those who are still living. Love is not the condoning of an action. Love is the expression of the value of each individual no matter how much we may disagree with their decisions.

Abortion is cruel, but so is guilt. Please Christians I appeal to you: tear down the signs and spend your money, your time, and your voice loving the living. Christian love will have a far greater impact on reducing the number of abortions in this world than any freeway sign ever will!