.End It.

For so long I had been sleeping with my eyes open. If you have read here for any length of time, you no doubt know how a passion was lit inside of me regarding social justice - how my eyes were opened and my life was changed. (I can hear the sighs and feel the eye rolls from here.) I just cannot seem to shut up about it, though. Sometimes I come here and sit down to write these kind of posts, and I think to myself did I buffer this post enough with other fluffier, more appealing and palatable posts around it? And it kind of stinks to have to think that way, but I know that I scare people away. Writing and sharing my heart and what I have learned is one tiny way that I can fight injustice, though, so I cannot keep silent.

(source)

Because I think Jesus calls us [the Church] to be on the front lines of fighting injustice.

Today, January 11, is the national day for human trafficking awareness.

Human trafficking is slavery.

Slavery still exists.

It exists here in our country, and it exists around the world. There are women slaves, men slaves, and babies and children who are slaved. It. is. wrong. I believe that slavery, poverty, and the orphan crises are the greatest grievances in our generation. I believe that the generations that come behind us will look at us and wonder why we did not fight for these injustices; much like we look at the generations before us and wonder why they did not fight against the slavery and racism in our infant country. That is partly why I am so, so passionate about social justice. But these are not simply causes to me. I am not on some kind of fad kick (three years is pretty long for a fad anyway). These are human beings created in the image of God, and as such I believe I will answer for my part in this one day - because I do have a part - we all do. I also believe that we have the ability to end this.

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? – Isaiah 58:6

There are 27 million slaves in the world today. (source) Let's help free these men, women, and children. If we follow Jesus, I believe we are called to bring justice where there is no justice and hope where there is no hope. To sit by and ignore these 27 million human beings (many of which are enslaved simply so that we can buy more stuff at lower prices) is wrong. It is just wrong.

Martin Luther King Jr. said it so well, He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it. I think we would all at least acknowledge that slavery is evil, but now it is time to actually move our feet and fight against it. An easy first step is for us all to spread awareness - bring to light that which has been hidden. We can make people aware by sharing what we know; when people know the truth they then must choose how to move ahead and ignorance can no longer be their excuse.

It is time to examine the items we purchase, and realize that every single time we purchase an item that was made because of slave laborers, we are saying slavery is okay. Do your research. I have talked a lot about fair trade and chocolate here. Google. Ask questions. Understand that the "cheap" price tag may actually be costing someones life. Let's not be okay with that. I am guessing we would not be okay with that if it were our baby out in that field enslaved to bring us chocolate, so why is it okay as long as it is someone elses baby?

I urge you to pray for the 27 million people enslaved today, and I urge you to stand up and be a voice for them, to fight this injustice. I want to see history change. I want to see these 27 million people freed, and I long for them to know the love of Jesus.

Will you stand in the gap for slavery?

Please check out End It: Shine a light on slavery here.

Check out what Compassion has to say here.


Here is a short video on human trafficking.

 

These are PEOPLE. They are someones mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, child, grandchild. What if they were your loved ones?