Men who want to see the end of abortion but need inspiration should look to Mark Houck, a pro-life father of seven whose trial continues for allegedly violating a federal law.

The jury remained deadlocked as of Friday, meaning the ordeal that began four months ago in September will continue on Monday.

President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice charged Houck with violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act after he pushed a Planned Parenthood volunteer who had been harassing him and his son.

The state-level charge had already been dropped in 2021 but was curiously picked up later by Attorney General Merrick Garland’s DOJ , even though it is impossible that the 72-year-old man Houck pushed was somehow deprived of his ability to get an abortion.

Houck’s enduring persecution and his resilience is a model for pro-life men who can learn from him how to persevere in the fight for the sanctity of human life.

The Catholic father and husband has dedicated countless hours to defending pre-born babies from abortion . He drove two hours each way once a week to sidewalk counsel outside of abortion facilities and encourage mothers and fathers to choose life.

It seems safe to assume given the number of children he has and the organization he runs, which works to combat the pornography industry and help men grow in their spiritual journey, that Houck does not have a lot of free time. Yet he gives up eight hours in the middle of the week to try to change hearts and minds and save lives.

Furthermore, he modeled for his children Christian values; the trumped-up federal charge comes from an incident in which an aggressive Planned Parenthood volunteer kept harassing Mark and his son. He calmly told the man to back off, according to court testimony, before ultimately defending himself in an appropriate manner. He did the right thing and defended his family from the aggressive, vulgar man.

Houck brought his son with him and modeled for him how to reach out to abortion-minded women with compassion. His son, Mark Jr., only 13 years old, took the stand in the federal trial, which indicates his father raised him to be mature and honest and withstand a pressure-filled environment.

Writing before the trial, Houck showed how to accept the burdens of his criminal charge. “I am guilty of being a strident pro-lifer who zealously pursues abortion minded men and women and the lives of pre-born children,” he wrote on Jan. 16. “I am guilty of being a father who loves his children and will protect them at all costs. So, weep not for me, but for my children. Pray for their strength and courage these next days.”

This is the type of person pro-life men should aspire to be. Any man who is serious about fighting for pre-born life and helping women and children should model their lives in such a way that he could be convicted of being a “strident pro-lifer” like the father now on trial.

Abortion, possibly now more than ever, is one of the most contentious issues in the United States. But real men such as Mark Houck do not shy away from fights because they are difficult; instead, they lean into the battle and face whatever trials come from their advocacy.

All men should find encouragement in this approach to fighting evil.

Matt Lamb is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog. He is an associate editor for the College Fix and has previously worked for Students for Life of America and Turning Point USA.