We know from Scripture that love is not violent, or manipulative:
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13: 6-8
So, how, when these girls have been victimized, used and ostracized by society, can love not have failed? Where was God's protection when they were being lured into "the life", as they call it? How can they hope after living in such hopeless conditions?
THE CALL
I believe that God is looking to those who believe in Him, whose lives have been transformed by His love and that will make themselves available to be used; to meet these girl's (and other) needs. That is what I mean by being a love letter. I believe that we who desire to be a living epistle are an answer for meeting the needs of these girls, and preventing other girls from becoming pray. Perhaps your calling is not to aid girls caught in domestic sex trafficking directly, but to confront and rehabilitate the men who purchase them? Maybe you are called to advocate for or financially support this, or another cause. In any case, some injustice should grip your heart so fervently that you are compelled to act; not because of compassion alone, but out of the understanding that you are sharp instrument in the hand of a supreme savior.
When we do allow God to use us, it must be with patience, without pride, not for selfish ambition, not motivated by anger, and not easily discouraged. True love requires a transformation of our heart and mind from that of which we are able to do by ourselves, to that which God would do through us.
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
A LOVING EXAMPLE
Thank goodness the staff at GEMS (gems-girls.org) has not been discouraged. They have been working to repair the lives of girls affected by domestic sex trafficking. They believe in their potential and their purpose-- they have not given up.
______________________________________________________
I watched the testimony (in the video below) by Rachel Lloyd (Executive Director of GEMS) to the New York legislature. The heart of this woman: her passion and her conviction about the right of domestically trafficked girls to receive the same compassion and services as internationally trafficked girls and women, moved me. She just didn't know the statistics, but her love for the affected girls was oozing from her pores-- and that moved me to want to act, to demonstrate love in return. The last few seconds of her testimony struck me the most:
Legislator: What would you say is the one thing that really does make a difference in terms of, [the girls] deciding to turn their lives around?
Rachel Lloyd: I think this is a hard thing to legislate, but I think it comes down to real genuine relationships and support....you have to have someone replace what they've experienced. You can't just take away the sense of support and love, dependence...you need to have real relationships...
What does a loving relationship look like?
... love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.1 cor 13:4-8
to see the excerpt of the testimony, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HBo9vREVBQ&feature=player_embedded
So, how, when these girls have been victimized, used and ostracized by society, can love not have failed? Where was God's protection when they were being lured into "the life", as they call it? How can they hope after living in such hopeless conditions?
THE CALL
I believe that God is looking to those who believe in Him, whose lives have been transformed by His love and that will make themselves available to be used; to meet these girl's (and other) needs. That is what I mean by being a love letter. I believe that we who desire to be a living epistle are an answer for meeting the needs of these girls, and preventing other girls from becoming pray. Perhaps your calling is not to aid girls caught in domestic sex trafficking directly, but to confront and rehabilitate the men who purchase them? Maybe you are called to advocate for or financially support this, or another cause. In any case, some injustice should grip your heart so fervently that you are compelled to act; not because of compassion alone, but out of the understanding that you are sharp instrument in the hand of a supreme savior.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit. Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.
It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends." 1 cor 13:1-8It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
When we do allow God to use us, it must be with patience, without pride, not for selfish ambition, not motivated by anger, and not easily discouraged. True love requires a transformation of our heart and mind from that of which we are able to do by ourselves, to that which God would do through us.
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
A LOVING EXAMPLE
Thank goodness the staff at GEMS (gems-girls.org) has not been discouraged. They have been working to repair the lives of girls affected by domestic sex trafficking. They believe in their potential and their purpose-- they have not given up. ______________________________________________________
I watched the testimony (in the video below) by Rachel Lloyd (Executive Director of GEMS) to the New York legislature. The heart of this woman: her passion and her conviction about the right of domestically trafficked girls to receive the same compassion and services as internationally trafficked girls and women, moved me. She just didn't know the statistics, but her love for the affected girls was oozing from her pores-- and that moved me to want to act, to demonstrate love in return. The last few seconds of her testimony struck me the most:
Legislator: What would you say is the one thing that really does make a difference in terms of, [the girls] deciding to turn their lives around?
 |
| Rachel Lloyd |
What does a loving relationship look like?
... love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.1 cor 13:4-8
to see the excerpt of the testimony, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HBo9vREVBQ&feature=player_embedded
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