I frequently feel uncertain when I write.
Especially when I act like I “understand” Scripture, I often feel like an imposter. So, I took a step back when a reader commented that “voice for the voiceless” is almost straight from the Bible.
She’s right. Proverbs says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…”
I wonder… perhaps there’s a difference between “Speak up for…” and “Speak for…”
Perhaps it’s about advocacy, standing up for folks who have been silenced or ignored. Perhaps it’s about lifting them up, providing space for them to tell their stories.
Rather than speaking for them, perhaps it’s about leveraging our platforms in creative ways that help them gain opportunities to speak for themselves.
Perhaps, most of all, it’s about listening. Because what they have to say is frequently difficult to hear.
+ + +
Honestly, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to a couple of our kids. Their stories are heartbreaking and powerful.
Sadly, they’re mostly afraid to share their stories publicly. They’ve experienced so much abuse and betrayal – I can’t blame them for not wanting to expose themselves and their families.
Of course we should speak up for these precious children. We should advocate, in every possible way, for their freedom. We should work for and long for the day when they feel free to speak up for, and to speak for, themselves.
In the meantime, I’ll do what I can to tell their stories. Not because I believe they are voiceless or incapable, but because I’m privileged with freedom to do so.
+ + +
If you haven’t seen it, please take two minutes to watch my three engineer buddies build my spiffy new bike.
This bike is, I believe, a tangible way of telling our kids’ stories.