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I can’t get away from it. Every time I scroll through my Facebook feed, seeking a simple escape, there are pictures of friends, people enjoying vacation and then there it is. Another picture, another video, another headline using words like, murder, dismember, baby body parts.

It used to fill me with a righteous anger. Seeing these stories made me want to investigate and stand up for life in the name of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. But it seems every tweet has a #DefundPlannedParenthood hashtag and gruesome story follows gruesome story.

If it is not that, it is the opposition adding stench to the air. It’s the railing against those “radical” Christians and backwoods anti-women republicans who don’t understand the values of science and personal freedom.

This is a struggle within me. As pro-choice advocates are calling for the silencing of media coverage regarding horrific videos and a squelching of the conversation, I am tempted to lay down my voice as well. This is not because I agree with their worldview – far from it. I am more tempted to move on than fight. After all, who needs one more blog, one more tweet, one more Facebook share if it’s just going to add to the noise. I want to just let the professionals handle it and go back to my comfortable Christianity where the world is the world and we just sit back and wait for Heaven.

This is an evil desire. Christianity has long been painted as simply a positive and encouraging outlook on handling life’s gloomy circumstances. It is far from it. There is nothing positive or encouraging about contorted, murdered babies and the society that violently seeks to protect its modern god of sex at all costs. Yet this is the burning building into which we are to run with the Gospel.

This is where we as Christians have to make a decision. God has given us a voice, not merely ears. We should be slow to speak and quick to listen, but there is certainly a time to speak. I get it – it’s uncomfortable, it’s not pretty. But if we are not now taking advantage of such an opportunity, not to win a political battle, but to expose what is done in darkness with the light of the Gospel, then when will we?

The Gospel makes us uncomfortable because it tells us we are not God. As people made in His image, however, we have the responsibility and the call to stand for truth and to let our hearts be broken with the things that break the heart of God. Abortion breaks the heart of God.

So He has given you a voice. He has given you a voice not just to yell or be combative, but to speak truth to broken hearts. We must remember that apart from the Gospel and the saving work of Jesus Christ, we too would be lost in a selfish bent toward sin. We too would protect our own appetites even to the point of turning a blind eye on such a modern-day holocaust.

These are real people who really believe what they are saying is right. They believe it is best to kill babies (or that these victims aren’t babies at all). They believe they are standing for women’s rights. They believe it is best to move on to a new topic of conversation.

They believe the Gospel is foolishness, and they don’t know they are perishing. Let us not lay down our voices, but take them up to speak truth, to work and support our local pregnancy centers, to speak with the young women caught in the crossfire of this political and ideological battle and tell them the good news of Jesus Christ.

I am tempted to lay down my voice for my own comfort. But I will continue to use it for the sake of the least of these, even when it makes me uncomfortable. Share. Post. Volunteer. Fight the good fight in love. But remember our war is not against flesh and blood – not merely a spat over politics. This is a much greater battle for God’s kingdom to be seen in this world until He comes to make all things new.

The Light has shown into our darkness. It is our time as the church to do the same.