27 Million Souls

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ --Matthew 25:40

Today, in my warm house, in my safe little Midwestern town, my children were fed, bathed and held in the loving arms of their parents.  They can or are learning to read.  Yesterday we spent a couple of hours swimming in a heated, indoor pool.  They will be educated and the possibility held in their little lives is limitless.  Tonight they will snuggle deep under their covers, bellies full and hearts free, safe in their own beds, in their own house, surrounded by the love of their family.

Today, in India, Cambodia, here in the United States of America, and around the world, in not-so-safe neighborhoods, 2,880 children were sold into slavery, many by their own parents.  Many of the parents do this thinking it is the best way of survival for their child.  They are promised better lives, food to eat and a place to sleep.  Never would they imagine that what they are really doing was selling their little one into a life of prostitution or of forced labor.  But they do.  Their lives are so poor and so desperate that they sell them into what they hope is "a better life."  Obviously, not every story begins with such innocence, but enough do that it's worth telling.

Today, this day, I write this, there are over 27 million enslaved people in the world.  Read that again.  27 million.  That is more than during the Roman Empire.  It is more than during the American Civil War.  Slavery here didn't die in 1863.  Today, in 2013, there are over 200,000 people in bondage to slavery right here in the US.  Around 17,000 more will be trafficked into my homeland this year.

Here in the US one in three teenage runaways is lured into prostitution within the first 48 hours they leave home.  The Super Bowl attracts millions of fans to watch the Big Game and thousands more to those enslaved by the sex trade.

Is your heart broken yet?  Because mine is.  As I read through the statistics on this, I can't keep the tears from falling.  I look at my five year old, innocently playing catch or sitting on my lap learning to read, and can't imagine him being beaten for not working hard enough in a sweatshop, or worse, in a brothel.  I watch my beautiful eight year old daughter to whom modesty is so important and I am literally sick to my stomach thinking of the things little slave girls around the world are forced to do.

All of that sucks.  Your heart is breaking, but really, what can you do to stop any of it?  Here's the truth.  You can do a lot.  

You can pray.

You can tell someone.  Share this blog or even better, share the links at the end of it.  Awareness is the first step in any action.  People cannot, will not help if they don't know about this crisis.  End It Movement

You can sponsor a child, literally saving a life.  Provide food, water, education and maybe the family won't feel the need to sell them into "a better life."  World Vision

You can give.  There are a lot of organizations out there that are fighting this.  The links below will lead you to many of them.  Find out which one you can get behind and give.  Not Today Resources

You can fund a school.  Education is a way out for many.  Make it happen for a child who may otherwise not make it at all.

You can be politically active.  Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, non-affiliated.  It doesn't matter.  This should be an issue we all agree on.  In today's America, prostitutes are considered criminals, not victims.  However, the statistics beg to differ. Many are lured into prostitution after running away from abusive situations.  Twelve is the average age for this to begin.  Twelve years old.  Seventh grade.   Veronica's Voice

 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 

-- Matthew 25:45

Want more info?  Don't take my word for it.  Check it out yourself.  Follow the links and educate yourself.

Veronica's Voice a Kansas City resource for those leaving life as prostitutes
Not Today Resources a new movie, out today in select cities, that addresses the plight of the Dalit people, the "Untouchables" of India
End It Movement a coalition dedicated to ending global slavery
World Vision a Christian organization dedicated to helping the poor around the world, including those who have been rescued from sexual exploitation

100% Truth and 100% Grace: Is it Even Possible?

Lately a spiritual war has been raging within my head, heart and soul.  I'm struggling with many, many things, but one of the biggest is this:  How can I live a life that reflects Absolute Truth but still show Grace?

How do I live out my faith in the knowledge that the Bible is 100% true but also live in a way that shows 100% Grace to those who fall short of perfection (aka: All of us, myself included.)?

My natural tendency is to fall on the side of Truth and leave Grace for someone else to give.  I have a strong sense of justice and feel the need to see it carried out.  This is in direct conflict with my need for both giving and receiving Grace.

But I've seen so many, heard so many stories about people who were rejected by the church when they revealed their sins.  So many who feel abandoned by Christianity because of their pasts.  So many who feel hated instead of loved.  I don't want to add to that number.  I want to love as I have been loved.  To reflect the love of Jesus in my every breathing moment.

So how do you do this?

Love, Hate and the Chikin Sandwich

I love Chick-fil-A.  I have since the very first time I heard my Aunt Leslie order a "breaded chicken sandwich with pickles and mustard only" while on a trip to Texas when I was a kid.  At that time, most Chick-fil-A restaurants were still south of the Mason-Dixon line and like Big Red soda and Blue Bell ice cream, I was only privy to their Southern greatness every couple of years during trips to visit my grandparents in the Lone Star State.  

Without a doubt, Chick-fil-A has THE BEST chicken sandwich in America.  And who doesn't love the waffle fries and lemonade?  Those Southern folks also love the sweet tea.  Being born north of the Mason-Dixon, it's not my cup of - well - tea, but since they sell it by the gallon, I'm pretty sure it's a hit with some folks.  It's always "my pleasure" to eat there.  They have great food and great service. 

I loved them WAY before I realized that they were owned by Christians.  In fact, I didn't even realize that until I was an adult and saw that they were giving away Adventures in Odyssey CDs in their kids meals.  Sweet!  Once I realized this (and that they're not open on Sundays, even though they could be making MILLIONS more a year if they were), I realized that it's my duty as a Christian to love Chick-fil-A.  Jon Acuff pretty much said so and he certainly knows about Stuff Christians Like.

Fast-forward to today.  Chick-fil-A has been making headlines, not because they give away thousands of free meals to people in cow costumes, but because one of their owners, who has never hidden his faith or his convictions, told a Baptist newspaper that he supports a "biblical definition of the family unit."

   Some have opposed the company's support of the traditional family. "Well, guilty as charged," said Cathy when asked about the company's position.

"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."

Somehow, those tiny little paragraphs at the end of the interview sparked a firestorm of controversy and have somehow made Cathy, and all who agree with him,  now unwelcome by high ranking and high profile politicians in New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia.  

Here's the thing.  This is probably not going to shock those of you who know me, but I personally agree with Cathy. I'm "very much supportive of the...biblical definition of the family unit."  Don't stone me yet, okay, there's more.  I'm a follower of Christ.  You know, Jesus, the guy who when asked, said that the greatest commandments were 

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Jesus said I am to love people?  Even *gulp* gay people?  Yep.  In fact, we, the Church, are to strive to be like Christ, welcoming others so that they may know Him as well.  Last week there was a great little church bulletin that said it very well.  In case you missed it, here's what it said.

We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, yo no habla Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail or could afford to lose a few pounds.

We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re “just browsing,” just woke up or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s Baptism.

We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion,” we’ve been there too.

If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.

We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!

I think that for many Christians I know, when it really comes down to it, we want to agree with the above statements but aren't really sure what it looks like to do so.  We know that we're supposed to love our neighbors but are afraid that if we socialize with lesbians or gamblers that we'll be labeled as "wishy-washy" "sinners," or worse yet, "liberals."  At the same time, we're afraid to call sin "sin" for fear that we'll be known as "intolerant," "hate-mongers," "unintelligent" or just plain "un-American."  We want to show love to our neighbors without compromising our beliefs.  How in the world is that possible?  

What I see in the Bible is a God who came down from Heaven with a furious love for his people and a deep desire to have personal, meaningful relationship with them.  The Jesus shown to us in the New Testament called sin "sin" and took his meals with "sinners."  He loved.  He rebuked.  He was personally vested in those around him.  He didn't stand on a corner with a sign condemning anyone.  He was perfect, without sin.

I will never, in this life, be perfect.  My sins are many.  Some are hidden, others are right out there for the world to see.  I will fall many, many more times before my days on this earth are over.  Though imperfect, I am a seeker of Truth, a friend of God, and a lover of his people.  I will continue to do my best to follow his example; building real, meaningful relationships with his creation.  Only then can I truly love.  Only then can I rebuke.  Only when I have a personal, vested interested in others does my opinion on anything matter.  I will not be standing on a corner or in a restaurant condemning anyone.  

When I "eat mor chickin," (and I will be gobbling up breaded chicken sandwiches with pickles and honey mustard whenever I have the chance) there is no "thinly veiled hate" in my action.  There is no "I love you, but..." in my affection for waffle fries.  There is only a longing in my heart to be more like Christ and to somehow reflect the love he has shown me into the lives of those I encounter while on my journey to eternity.  That and a longing for a tall glass of lemonade to wash down the waffle fries.