September 19, 2020
Are you feeling it? The pressure to do something about suffering? Is something compelling you to take action? We need to talk.
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WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?
Every day it seems there is a new “issue” I must respond to. My trusted “e-mail army” of organizations alerts me of developing situations and I must respond.
I’m not complaining. They have a purpose. I’m confessing my reluctance to acknowledge evil around me. I am grateful that people are helping me understand.
Maybe they need funding to further their cause. Perhaps they need me to sign a petition. Or they need to make me aware of a growing trend. They need to let me know what my favorite companies are doing — things I support, or things I don’t.
From all sides, I am made aware of secret practices, hidden agendas, and dark intentions.
When I know, I must make a decision. Send money? Withdraw support? Spread the word? Join an action group?
What is it I need to do to prove that I care, to make my principles known?
Today I need to do something. As I am made aware, I must respond.
How do I have standards, and manage them with an even hand? How do I justify the purchases I make, or the memberships I hold?
And how do I make changes?
Is “Cancel Culture” Correct?
Making a decision to change direction because of new information, that’s a logical thing, right? But maybe that’s not the whole story.
What is the “new information?”
- Is it that someone who is now 50 wore a Halloween costume at age 7 that would be objectionable to me now?
- What if someone in my Church used foul language in their young adult years?
- Did a person participate in a high-school or college-age act of stupidity which came with a price?
Be assured that all these questions are purely contrived. I’m not good at hidden messages; I’m just trying to use examples that make sense.
I’m not sure any of these would cause me to take any action.
After all, we have received enormous grace for the mistakes we have made. We can extend that same grace for others.
But what if someone is deliberately causing harm? Now. Not a rumor of it, but a real, visible, present harm? What if they don’t care?
What if someone has an agenda that is in complete opposition to mine? Should I cease to partner with them?
Sometimes I just am going to need the courage to take a stand and support someone, or distance myself from someone, or something.
I wish there was a chart I could use, something that would outline all the potential conflicts and give the appropriate response.
I’ve got a situation that isn’t on a chart. And it’s not the first one.
How Do I Decide?
This, I think, is the biggest question. How do I decide when to respond, and how to respond?
Where do I draw my line?
We are constantly being pushed into judgments and decisions we didn’t anticipate. Sometimes the answer is clear. Sometimes we have to give something up to take a stand.
Most of us are seeking a position in our lives in which we can maintain relationships and discuss hard things, supporting some causes and withdrawing from others. We are grateful for companions who support our opinions and enlighten us to new truths.
We need the courage to speak up, we need to proclaim Christ, and we need our lives to be an example. And it’s hard. We find that our consumerism has supported practices we object to.
“Finding that place to be” is the source of so many arguments, so many struggles. Discussions are extremely difficult as we face issues of “critical theory”, “systemic racism”, “the one percent”, “slavery”, and more. These subjects are complex, and are painted with a broad brush by many.
I am reluctant to begin a discussion here on the blog for any of those subjects, because they are so polarizing that it’s hard for any of us to find common ground.
Here Is The Threat
But one subject I do want to address briefly today is slavery. Human slavery, the act of one human owning another, purchasing a person as property, and then forcing them into labor. This seems incomprehensible, and yet it exists.
And in its most disheartening form, the purchase of children. Typing those words causes my body to constrict in tension, because it is a reality I want to hide from. So reprehensible that I don’t want to believe it.
That a person can be abducted from their family, purchased, and victimized.
It is a subject so dark and so huge that we almost can’t form a discussion about it.
As the American culture continues to relax (to the point that “anything goes” will actually be completely true), we need to understand that dark appetites and money are forming a force that is powerful and mostly unseen.
And there is marketing to promote it. Outright marketing to further the dark appetites of predators who are a danger to our own children.
This tsunami is growing, fueled by nothing more than dark appetites and money. It has risen up, and is now flooding our communities.
What Am I Supposed To Do?
It feels like a question asked in desperation.
There are things I can do. I can donate to shelters and rescue organizations. I can encourage my representatives to provide more resources to combat this.
As a consumer, I can be watchful. And I can send a message by withdrawing my financial support or changing my shopping habits.
Together the adults in our household decided to cancel a subscription in response to our awareness of a company marketing inappropriate material.
It’s not a cure, but at least I’m no longer helping fund this enticement into the darkness. As I am made aware, I must respond.
Did you read this far?
Thank you.
I’m getting to the important part.
CONCLUSION
I am asking you to do this today: Have the courage to understand the threat to our children and the children around us, and take a step to further their protection, not their victimization.
That step could be the removal of your support from any organization you find is violating the principles of child protection. It could be a step toward increasing your own awareness or the awareness of others about this danger. You may decide to designate a financial gift or other support to an organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking.
You could research your representatives in government and find out what is being done at the state and federal levels through their efforts.
And this very important thing: You can have a discussion with your children about safety, making sure you have established safe habits, code words, etc., to decrease the chance of abduction or abuse.
BE AWARE
Please know that the purpose of this post is to increase awareness, increase safety, and to ask you to pray with me about this.
I don’t like this post. I also don’t like the fact that I’m actually saving a few Pinterest tips for parents on keeping children safe.
I don’t just “not like” it. I HATE it. You do, too, right?
But let’s don’t let that keep us from
- being aware,
- opening our eyes,
- understanding that this evil exists,
- and remaining watchful.
Some Things To Consider
Would you like some help in finding information about this? A number of years ago a group of us did invest some time and ministry. We found a number of worthy organizations who needed funding, supplies, etc., to complete their rescue efforts. Find out what your Church or your local government is doing.
Look up Georgia Human Trafficking Resources.
Here are a few you will find:
And friends, I am working really hard to be careful and appropriate in my message as well as my actual words. If you choose to comment, please do the same. 😟 It’s hard, talking about things so disturbing.
This is a different kind of post, and I’m sorry. It is sad and dark and haunting.
Is there light? Absolutely.
Please pray with me that God will shine light into our darkness, that he will rescue His children, and that he will heal our land.
-Grammye