LoveAction

I have been thinking about social justice a lot this semester. For some reason, it has been an overarching theme in my classes. I'm glad. I realize how uninformed I have been. It all started when I researched Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl for a lit class paper. Then I wrote a newspaper article about it. And now I have been learning about modern slavery, child sex trafficking, and other injustices. And I have discovered what a comfortable life I lead in comparison.
I just can't believe I have been living a life of such selfishness.

Oh yeah, that's another area I'm working on.

When I think about everything I want to help with or work on, I get overwhelmed. That's why it's good to remember what one of my professors said: you can't change everything. As in, don't over commit yourself. So, I have been trying to become more educated on topics. Like modern slavery. I'm giving a speech on it tomorrow. I didn't even know that around 17,000 people are enslaved in the FREE United States. I also didn't know that wealthy American men are some of the biggest participants in the Cambodian child sex trade market. It's disgusting. And hypocritical. People live their lives the way they want to here, in comfort, and participate in the exploitation of another human being's life. Sickening.

So, if somehow, someone reads this and wants to know more, or help more, go to FreetheSlaves.net. It's an amazing website with tons of information to get you started. Also, ijm.org (International Justice Mission). They have ways to get involved too.

Lately, I can't get 1 John 3:16-18 out of my head. It exemplifies the life I want to lead. Enough with legalism and perfectionism. A life of holiness, as I have been reading in one of my classes, is a life that functions as it should, or was designed to. 1 John reads 3 reads,
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? Dear children, let us not love in words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."
Don't lie to yourself and say you can't do anything to help. The truth of the problem is staring at us. We can help to overcome the problems of social injustice.