By Kiersten Cassell, 8th grade
“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women,” – Ronald Reagan
Many people throughout history, such as Corrie ten Boom, have displayed moral courage when defending the vulnerable. When we are educated about why we are defending the vulnerable, we can focus on how to protect the vulnerable and display our own moral courage. When people join together to fight against evil with moral courage, then that evil cannot stand.
Though courage itself is an excellent virtue to possess, moral courage is even greater. Moral courage is attempting to do the right thing, even in the face of adversity. Answering what is right and wrong is a difficult task, but through our firm foundation in Christ, evil comes to light. When we know the difference between admirable and abominable, we can use courage to combat evil. When moral courage is demonstrated, that is where we find heroes.
In defending the vulnerable, moral courage must be exhibited, for many people do not share the same values. When the Nazis began to persecute the Dutch Jews, Corrie ten Boom knew she had to do something. She courageously used her home to hide Jews, taking on a great risk. While the Nazis proclaimed Jews an inferior race, Corrie remembered that “God created mankind in His image.”
Though the Nazis savagely broke into her house, vehemently demanded to know where the Jews were, and mercilessly carted her, her family, and friends off to a decrepit prison, she refused to betray the Jews. In the months spent in prison and concentration camps, she embraced the verse “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31), and she learned to love the Germans. After the war, she continued to share the message that “there is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper,” traveling the world and speaking to people. The needle of her moral compass seemed to always point to God, and through her courageous actions, she made a difference.
Corrie ten Boom teaches me that there is always something I can do to help. If I educate myself about pro-life matters, I will be able to better understand why it is so important and how I can help to support it. I could start a podcast teaching kids about pro-life issues, or I could pray. I could join pro-life marches or write letters to government leaders pushing for protection of the vulnerable. Using Corrie’s example, and the example of others, I can make a difference.
As we educate ourselves about defending the vulnerable, we can begin to use our own moral courage, like Corrie ten Boom, and change people’s views. In John 15:13 we read, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” but even then, the greatest gift that God has given us is life.
Kiersten Cassell won first place in the middle school category of the Culture of Life Studies Program’s 2025 Pro-Life Essay Contest.