Prior to writing The Solution, I watched a news show where the topic of Darfur and the genocide taking place there was being discussed. Those in the discussion went on to speak of the many celebrities that have spoken out against and continue to fight for this cause to be extinguished through any involvement available. While this was taking place, I began to think of the many places around the world where people are being killed or oppressed and the many people of influence who have come out to make these concerns known. I also began to think of how often during various concerts and shows, the artists will speak out against some form of injustice going on around the world, only to hear the crowds shouting in protest against such atrocities and shouting in praise for the singer or musician for bringing up the concern.

But then, in the middle of the conversation, one commentator chimed in with a statement regarding the fact that many of these same protesters of injustice ignore the injustice that takes place right in front of them by the millions. I’m speaking of course of the millions of unborn children who have been murdered in the name of so-called “rights.” You see, there is a VERY sad irony when life is fought for in one corner of the world and then denied in our own backyards by the same people. I applaud the work that is done around the world to make injustices known, but what hypocrisy to do such a thing and then turn around to approve of the same thing taking place in our own country, let alone all around the world. Can we not fight for life in all areas? How would the crowds attending a concert respond to an artist crying out against the injustice of abortion?

It is this very hypocrisy that inspired The Solution. The first verse speaks of this very issue. But as I began to write the song I realized that something was missing. I was seeing the problem as being outside of myself and influence. The truth is, the greatest argument for the existence of evil in the world can be found in looking no further than our own hearts. How could I sit and point the finger and point out all the problems of the world and not look into my own sick heart to find what things I have done or failed to do in this case? What have I done to truly fight against injustice? And also, in what ways am I a hypocrite?

The truth is there are people perishing all around and yet I so often sit back without doing a thing. The answer to the issues above as well as every other problem in the world is the gospel!!! We absolutely have the responsibility to speak out against injustice and fight for the unborn, but it is the gospel alone that will change hearts and nations. Christ died for the ungodly! For me! For you! And so the last verse of the song focuses on our problem (my problem) and contribution to the issue. This is not to say that people and churches are not at all preaching the gospel and doing the work of evangelism, but rather this song only serves as a wake up call or reality check to examine ourselves. And as a former pastor of mine used to say, “the stones that come from these words have my own flesh and blood on them.”

Just as the unborn are created in the image of God, so too are all of us, including our worst enemies. While this image is severely marred because of sin, we are still image bearers of God and called His workmanship. We are all image bearers of God and in need of redemption.

The Solution was written the week before January 23rd, “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday” and so the timing of the song is quite appropriate. The National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is held on the Sunday in January that falls closest to the day on which the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions were handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973.