Rarely have I seen an issue stir up the minds and hearts of Canadians in the faith community the way the change to Canada’s Summer Jobs application has.

In summary: the federal government now requires applicants to attest that they support the government’s affirmative position on women’s reproductive rights. In essence, they are requiring organizations and corporations to check a box to say they agree with the government’s ideological stance on abortion, for example, in order to qualify for funding to hire short-term employees for the summer.

A great deal has already been written about how unacceptable this is to many Canadians, including myself, who hold values and beliefs that don’t match those of our current federal government on these matters.

On a positive note, a lot of Canadians are speaking out on this issue and are courageously responding to ensure the federal government understands that we disagree with forcing Canadians to attest to values they don’t hold. I encourage you to consult the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and the Canadian Council of Christian Charities for more information on what is being done.

What is on my heart to share with you is a call for us, as Christians, to stay true to our convictions, even when faced with hardship for doing so. It’s honest to say the loss of funding has real consequences for those who would benefit from it (and I include the many Canadians who are served by these summer employees). But I personally believe that holding fast to our principles is more important than money and even if it costs us dearly, we are called to declare our allegiance to God above all else.

Having said that, I certainly don’t want to minimize the issues at hand or lead you to believe that simply holding true to our convictions is all we need to do. We live in a democratic country and we should speak out and act while we can. However, I feel compelled to urge us, as believers in the midst of yet another challenge to our faith, to stand firm, to pray even more earnestly, to ask God for help and to unite as His church in the advancement of His kingdom here in Canada – no matter the cost.

May God grant us the faith, courage and grace to live for Him and hold true to His Word – for His glory.