Tony, a student at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, approached our poll table which displayed the
following question: “Should abortion remain legal?” On both sides of the table there were signs that read, “Yes,”
and “No” giving students opportunities to express their views.
Tony immediately started the conversation by announcing, “I don’t think the unborn is a human being, and I don’t think we will ever know if the unborn is a human being.”
Andrea at UTSA Feb. 2022
I inquired: “If I share with you my understanding of the basic biology, would that be helpful?” “Yes,” he responded. “I would like that!”
He seemed very open-minded. I prayed for the Lord to guide our conversation. Here is how it went.
Andrea: If the unborn is growing, would you say that it’s alive?
Tony: Yes.
Andrea: If the unborn has human parents, isn’t a human?
Tony: Of course.
Andrea: Generally, living things produce after their own kind. Dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, so it would make sense to conclude that humans produce human offspring. So, if the unborn is a living human being like a 2-year-old or like you and me, then would you agree that we should protect the unborn?
Tony: Yes. I see what you are saying.
Andrea: Do you think we as human beings deserve equal rights at least in the basic right to life?
Tony: Of course.
Andrea: I agree. If you look around at everyone here on campus, I believe that each student deserves equal rights, at least in the basic right to life. There are many differences among each student: height, hair color, intellect, abilities, and so forth. Even with these differences there is something that is the same about us, something that gives us that equal right. So, let me ask you: what do you think is the thing that is the same about us?
Tony: It’s that we are human.
Andrea: Exactly! Since we just discussed the fact that the unborn are living human beings, would you agree that we should extend those rights to the unborn at least in the basic right to life?”
Tony: [enthusiastically] Yes! You would have to. I can understand both sides of the issue. My grandma became pregnant with my mom at the age of seventeen. I am glad my grandma had my mom even at a young age. I am thankful she did not decide to get an abortion. Otherwise, I would not be here. However, I grew up very pro-choice. My mom worked for an abortion clinic.
Wow! I knew that if Tony grasped that the unborn is a human being, he would have to come to terms with the fact that his mom had been participating in killing innocent human lives. That would be a hard pill to swallow.
Later in the conversation I asked Tony if he would be willing to look at images of an abortion, since he had never seen them before. He agreed. As he looked at the pictures, I could tell by his demeanor that he was impacted by them. I also shared with him how a third trimester abortion is performed. It was then he realized the travesty of what takes place in an abortion.
After giving him a minute to look at the images, I asked, “Tony, would you say that abortion is a medical procedure, or is abortion taking a life?”
Tony looked at me and responded, “I would have to say that abortion is taking a life.”
Our conversation continued for another thirty minutes. After we discussed abortion, we launched into a conversation about our spiritual beliefs. Tony shared with me what he believed, and then I had the opportunity to talk extensively about the gospel. I shared with him that our sin is what separates us from God. God is holy, and He cannot let sin into heaven. Since no one is perfect, we will all be guilty before God. However, God in His mercy sent His Son to take the punishment for our sins by dying on a cross. He listened intently as I continued to share the Good News with him. Tony was quite receptive to the gospel, and I could tell that he realized his need for a Savior.
I then thanked Tony for taking the time to discuss these two heavy topics. He replied, “Oh, I like having deep conversations. I enjoyed this discussion. I will definitely be thinking about our conversation and everything that we talked about!”
I left the conversation thanking the Lord for the opportunity to talk to Tony. It is important to ask questions not only to understand the other person’s view, but also to gently challenge their perspective. There is power in asking questions. They can be a means by which we plant seeds of truth.
As we near the end of the year, I want to thank each of you who have contributed to my work with JFA over this past year. Your prayers and support have been such a huge blessing in making it possible to reach people like Tony. I am excited to continue to serve the Lord with JFA.