Sometime ago,  over lunch with a respected medical writer on then-Fayetteville Street Mall, the conversation turned to abortion.  My position was then what it is now:  abortion ends a life. To my surprise, this pro-choice writer agreed.

While she too believed abortion kills, she said she was prepared to accept that as a choice the mother had a right to make. And she was willing to support that belief with time, talent, resources.

That was a refreshing conversation. I can respect intellectual honesty even when I don’t agree with the conclusion.

I got thinking about this when I received an invitation to attend an Oct. 29  fund-raising dinner in support of The Christian Life Home of Raleigh, a housing ministry to women in unplanned pregnancies. It’s been around since 1988, founded by people who decided to do something about what they believed. I’ve been in the home, met some of its staff, been a supporter.

It puzzles me that there aren’t more supporters and more places like it. Christians across America claim to be staunchly pro-life. Each election season churches are awash in voter guides outlining candidates’ stands on the litmus issue of abortion. Radio hosts gravely remind us of the judgment to come for failing to elect those who support life.

Abortion has been legal in this country since the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade . It may never be outlawed.  Meanwhile, what’s to stop us from providing a temporary home for a pregnant woman who needs it?  There’s no law against supplying her with nutritious meals or medical care or giving her the time and space to choose to parent or to give her child an adoptive family.

Simply believing abortion kills without giving people reasonable alternatives is like telling a  hungry, naked man to be “well fed and warm” while sending him away empty-handed. Sounds good, but it’s useless.

Pro-life?  Good. Now put your faith to work.