Our Gifts, Not Politics, Build and Serve the Culture of Life
On June 24, I was in training for work all day, so my cell phone use was limited to quick glances to be sure daycare wasn’t trying to reach me with an emergency. When I finally scrolled through all my alerts and texts, I couldn’t believe what I read. Roe versus Wade had been overturned by the Supreme Court. As someone who has been marching for life since I was old enough to walk, this was a day that I had prayed for — and I honestly had not expected to see in my lifetime.
On June 24, I was in training for work all day, so my cell phone use was limited to quick glances to be sure daycare wasn’t trying to reach me with an emergency. When I finally scrolled through all my alerts and texts, I couldn’t believe what I read. Roe versus Wade had been overturned by the Supreme Court. As someone who has been marching for life since I was old enough to walk, this was a day that I had prayed for — and I honestly had not expected to see in my lifetime.
Now what?
There has been a lot of debating and even name calling in the media, but we can’t be distracted from the fact that no matter what the laws are and what news outlets say, our call remains the same: to recognize the dignity of every human person. To love and serve Christ is to love and serve our neighbor — especially our neighbors in crisis.
In the almost two decades I’ve spent working with children and families, I’ve come to realize that it’s usually people, not policies, that are the most helpful at meeting immediate needs. We are all in unique situations, but I can guarantee that if you pray with the question, How can my gifts and talents serve to build a culture of life?, you’ll encounter needs that you are in a unique position to meet.
I’ve shared that when my husband and I asked this question, we realized God was calling us to be open to foster care and eventually adoption. While dealing with “the system” can be challenging, our beautiful kiddos are absolutely worth it.
A quick Google search tells me that there are over 117,000 children waiting to be adopted in the United States. Contrary to what you may have heard about the high costs of adoption, adoptions from foster care are free, and children often continue to receive assistance with insurance and education. Could God be calling you to learn more about how to serve these children and their families?
Needs didn’t disappear
As a child, I have memories of my mom helping young mothers with limited resources — many still trying to finish high school while pregnant or parenting infants. She would visit with them, offer encouragement and give them rides to their appointments. My mother would also visit our local nursing home and bring us along. We had no relatives there, but she knew how much the visits meant to the residents.
Now that I’m a parent, I can’t imagine how my mom did it, but I’m grateful that she made these interactions as much a part of our routine as soccer practice and Sunday school. Does your local pregnancy resource center need mentors to help new mothers? Are there elderly alone in a nursing home within driving distance that you could spare an hour to visit?
Laws and policies are important, but in the Gospels, Christ is very clear that ultimately, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 24:40). On June 24, laws in the U.S. changed but the needs of our brothers and sisters did not disappear.
The answer might not be comfortable or convenient, but to follow Christ means always asking how we can love him by loving our neighbors most in need.
Alison Blanchet lives in Panama City with her husband and three children. She works as a therapist for children and teens. Email her at alisondblanchet@gmail.com.
