Pre-School: No Pencils Allowed—Just Bloody Scissors

My morning starts off pretty normal—scrambling around for missing library books, trying to find matching mittens and attempting to have the oldest of my crew ready for the bus by 7:50. After a wipeout on the ice-covered driveway, my 5- and 8-year old are on the bus, ready to take on the day. Next, it’s pre-school for my 4-year old and off to a friend for a quick coffee for my 2-year old and me.

Today also happens to be the day affectionately called “Halloween” by most, but in our house we do not celebrate the culture of death.  We strive to fight abortion, the death of the smallest and most vulnerable. My daughter’s preschool is having a pajama party instead of dressing up for Halloween, for which I am very thankful.

I buckle our youngest two into the van and unsuccessfully search for the ice scraper so I find the nearest toy, scrape the windshield and hop in.  Then I remember that the pre-schoolers were encouraged to bring a non-edible treat for their classmates so back into the house I go.  I spot the box of sparkly pro-life pencils. Perfect!  I grab them and we are finally on our way.  At school, after a kiss and a smile, my daughter excitedly joins her class, pencils in hand.

A couple of hours later we are back to pick her up. I hold my two-year old as we make our way past an adult with a scissor stuck in her head and kids decked out in costumes of all sorts and sizes.  When we arrive at the preschool class, the teacher is in the hall with one of the kids handing out candy bags to the parents.  I notice her holding the box of pencils and ask if they got handed out.  “No,” she replies, “we need to talk about this.”  Confused, I step aside with her.  “I wouldn’t allow your daughter to hand these out,” she states. “They are too sensitive and controversial.” I am so shocked that I just look at her, then turn around speechless and leave with my kids to dodge the costumed elementary students in the hall.

This is the world we live in—a world where the scarier, the darker, and the more devilish things are, the better. A world where the culture of death is fully embraced, whether by making light of death or by championing a woman’s right to abortion. A world that completely rejects the sanctity of life. Where will this end? Isaiah 5:20 warns, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.”

How should we respond? Romans 12 vs. 21 gives guidance: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Ephesians 5 vs. 8 tells us why. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.”  In our walk, each of us should display the truth we profess, though my morning showed that isn’t always easy. People reject the truth, however gently or nicely we offer it to them. Should we just give up or should we find other ways to reach them? The Beatitudes speak of blessings for the peacemaker and those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

While my experience at pre-school can’t be considered persecution, I can only imagine to which lengths people would go to suppress the truth. And we shouldn’t be surprised. In fighting for peace—true peace—we can expect opposition, even persecution, especially when we bring a message that speaks to the conscience and confirms Biblical truths. But we can’t give up. This fight is not for us: it should be for God’s honour and the youngest of His creatures. And the Beatitudes end with great hope for those fighting for righteousness: “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

My morning reinforces why I do “Choice” Chain, why I stand on our streets with prenatal and abortion imagery. The pro-life message will continue to be censored, even when it simply says to “Respect Life!” That is why we must bring our message to those who otherwise would not get or ask for it. That is why, as “Choice” Chain volunteers, we work together to expose and oppose abortion.  Because in a world that obviously embraces visual learning and has shown it isn’t opposed to graphic displays, people are being touched by the ultimate display of truth—the beauty of life and the horror of abortion—which is being used to change our culture. And as the Lord blesses our work, I pray our culture of death will truly change into a culture of life, where “the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35).

I hope and pray that we will continue to be used to change hearts and minds and save lives. What will you do? After all, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.””