“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” -Psalm 8:2
Superhero or action movie fans would be familiar with Marvel’s Avengers; an eclectic, powerful, yet humanly flawed, group of individuals righting wrongs in the universe, and beyond. So if we see ‘avengers’ as heros we may wonder why the CRC chose the above as this year’s theme verse for Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Why would we want to silence heros fighting for human justice for all people at all stages of life?
For the answer to that we have to look at the meaning of the word ‘avenger’, which according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “a person who exacts punishment or inflicts harm in return for an injury or wrong”. Looking specifically at one area of Sanctity of Human Life, the issue of abortion, who is the avenger that must be silenced?
It is necessary for us to remember who the enemy is. Satan is pleased when we take one wrong and try to ‘fix it’ with another one. The injustices of poverty, unhealthy relationships, abuse, etc. are wrongs of our broken world. Sadly, a person may even feel that they themselves are ‘a wrong’, with no place to belong. When a person in one, or many, of the above experiences also faces an unintended pregnancy, the world can whisper, and even shout, that abortion is the best, or only, option. It is important for us to keep in mind that some are, or feel due to circumstances, forced to have an abortion. As Christians who believe in the sanctity of human life, the ending of a human life is wrong. Each person, though sinful, is made in God’s image and we are His. Yet, our response should not be to condemn the person choosing the abortion. Instead, I would encourage us to put our focus on the first wrong and consider how we can make it right. What might God be calling us to do in the areas of poverty; food and home security; modeling and encouraging healthy relationships; so that people facing an unintended pregnancy do not see it as a crisis, but instead can imagine joy and hope for the future.
We can also silence the avenger’s plan to use shame to harm people who experience an unintended pregnancy or choose an abortion. Satan’s plan would be for people to go deeper into darkness, for wrong to be heaped on top of wrong. God does not want His children to dwell in darkness: “He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him”. (Dan. 2:22). God knows what sin is in each of our hearts, and it is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict a person of sin and point them to the one who has taken that sin from us: our Redeemer, Jesus. Do not allow Satan to let your words or actions be avengers that need to be silenced. Instead of punishment, offer mercy. Instead of harm, offer healing. Listen to their story, offer emotional and/or physical support, and as you are able, invite them to know their worth as a beloved child of God.
Superheroes have secret lairs and compounds to fortify their missions. Our Redeemer strengthens us, as His children, to be a stronghold in the world. We can extend His mission of protection, grace and compassion to those whom the avenger may seek to destroy. Our actions, our praise to Him, will bring generational blessings in this universe, and beyond.
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