When I think of the men and women who've been harmed by the aftermath of abortion, it is breathtaking. Whether it be mentally, physically, and/or spiritually, damage has been done to those involved in abortion. Some would say it's no big deal to have an abortion, or that it's the best thing that they ever did for themselves. Some struggle with regret and with outcomes they did not anticipate.

Fear is often the driving emotion when someone considers abortion. Maybe you have faced a situation where fear drove your choices, only to find yourself afterwards facing regret and consequences you were not prepared for. Would you want to be condemned for your choices? No! Me either. We would want to be shown compassion.

As believers in Christ, how do we respond to individuals experiencing either an unplanned pregnancy or post-abortion regret? The answer is not with condemnation but with compassion. How we interact with people in hard situations is 100% our responsibility, and we don’t always get it right.

As ambassadors of Christ, we have an obligation to offer love, support, and compassion to people who are in hard places, either before or after the choice. Some people will respond to this support by choosing life; others will continue on their path to abortion. We may not agree with their choice, and we may work as hard as we can to encourage them, but what they choose is not up to us.

Abortion and its aftermath are heavy issues. As much as we want it to go away, it is a fact in our culture. Our responses to people who are considering abortion, or who are suffering in the wake of their choice, can and will make a difference. Check yourself: Are you part of a compassionate response to this issue or of a condemning response? Ask yourself:

• Have your responses to people in crisis in general been honoring to God?
• Does the person know that you value him or her as a person created in the image of God?
• Do you offer biblical hope in the midst of their trouble, or do you have a "high and mighty" attitude because you have never struggled with that particular sin issue?

I pray that as Christians we will seek to be ambassadors for Christ, seeking to draw people to God and towards good decision-making before the choice to abort, and being present for them when they seek a way out from under the weight of a past abortion decision. We can do this. God will help us.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

‍

Photo credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.com