My friends Tom and Melinda are In It To End It.
Slavery. Human trafficking. Yesterday was the day to shine a light on this horrible darkness and recommit ourselves to put an end to modern-day slavery. The bright red “X” is a show of solidarity, a demonstration that they stand in opposition to injustice.
Of course, they likely won’t. End it, I mean.
Nice slogan, In It To End It. But slavery and oppression have been around for a long time. A few million hands with a red “X” won’t suppress human greed and bigotry.
Sorry.
Jesus knew about slavery and oppression. He could have twitched His nose, “Bewitched” style, and vanquished the Roman occupation. If ending world injustice was His concern, He could have accomplished it.
Jesus didn’t form an army and ask them to lay down our lives for their country. Instead, he formed a small, ragtag group of misfits and asked them to love each other, sacrificially.
That’s the model. Not “jump in and fix it all,” but love people one at a time and in communities.
Jesus never said we shouldn’t fight injustice. He was clear about welcoming strangers, visiting prisoners, feeding children. He said we should see Him in each of those folks, because that’s where He lives, and respond accordingly.
Tom and Melinda know their red X’s, even combined with those of Morgan and Becky and millions of others, probably won’t End It. They also know they can’t be neutral, because neutrality in the face of injustice always favors the oppressor.
So they get involved in the FREEDOM TOUR. They support some kids at a HOME OF HOPE in New Delhi, kids who were born in a brothel and were rescued from a life of sexual slavery. These kids now live in freedom and hope.
You see, that’s how we really End It. We End It for one group of kids. We do what we can, where we are, with what we have…and trust God for the result.
For those kids, there’s no more slavery, no more oppression. For one group of precious children, the injustice has ended.
Jesus said we should see Him in each of those kids. When we End It for one of them, we End It for Him.
Good enough.