Something Sad

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

        
          Something really sad happened this week. No, it’s not the gorilla that was killed at the zoo.  It’s sad how people get so enraged and excited about a gorilla, but when it comes to things that matter more they’re silent. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be loud in your opinions or that you shouldn’t stand up for what you believe in. By all means, be loud! But first, make sure you have your priorities straight. Just like those people in the zoo, who knew that the little boy was more important than the gorilla, we should know what should be at the top of our list.
      
        There are so many things to fight for these days. Abortion kills millions of babies every day. Arranged marriage hurts thousands of girls in other countries. Children in our own country are put in foster care, and many abused. Veterans commit suicide because they can’t stand the memories inside their heads. Slaves around the world are being exploited, and we’re buying the products of that slavery.
     
        Today I’m going to talk about slavery, because it’s a big day for that today.  You might or might not have known that there were 20-36 million slaves worldwide last year. Today the 2016 numbers were released. I’ve been nervously anticipating to read them for the past week. I knew it was probably more than before, but deep down I had a little tiny hope that maybe the numbers hadn’t changed, or went down a little bit. After all the work of Walk Free, and End It, and Free The Slaves, has to be doing something. I was wrong. Below is the number of humans enslaved worldwide.




45,800,000





      I was shocked and horrified when I read it. The number had practically doubled. Once the shock wore off, I was angry. So angry.  God feels the same.
  
“…. God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalms 7:11

       If you’ve ever watched the movie Amazing Grace, you saw the court scene, and the excuses people were making. Despite all the facts that are out there, these same excuses are being said today. Here’s one that I hear so often it drives me crazy.

     “The slaves really don’t have such a hard life. I mean if they weren’t given jobs from these people they would starve, and have no money.”

        NO! This is so wrong, it hurts my ears when I hear it. These people are being beaten, abused, forced to work. It is not a game to them, it isn’t a privilege. There is always something better than this. They could find good jobs in their country for people in their country, not making things mass produced for other countries.

     Here’s the truth of the matter. A child is sold into slavery every 26 seconds. A slave costs 90 dollars and it takes about five minutes for them to be handed over. If you try to adopt a child from another country, it’s going to cost you thousands of dollars and takes months.
      This fight can sometimes feel like you’re one person swimming against a current in the ocean. You’ll never win. You echo the words of the psalmist:

         “Why standeth thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor, let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.” Psalms 10:1-2       
        Is there really any way you can help these poor people? The answer is yes. Stop buying products made by slavery, boycott companies that use slavery and own factories oversee. Tell others about the problem. Pray for those enslaved. Sign petitions.
          Yes, maybe our voice will never be heard. We will most likely never see slavery abolished. But, there is One who is louder than us, who everyone will hear, and He promises that one day He will end it for once and for all.
 
        “Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? He hath said in his heart, he will not require it. Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdeth mischief and spite, to requite it with his hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.” Psalms 10: 13-14 
       “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I rise saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.” Psalms 12:5     “ Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” Psalms 10: 17-18
    

    While we wait for this day, let’s make sure that we’re doing what we can. We can either be on God’s side, or against Him. I don’t know about you, but I want to be on His side.  

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