It's quite possible that MAYBE I shouldn't post this but I'm going to anyway...I think we need to get better at not letting these things happen. I'm not exactly sure how on all of them. But I think it's a ripple effect - once you let one thing happen, it welcomes in so many other things. And I guess today is just one of those days when I've seen too much. It breaks my heart in more than one way. It's overwhelming in it's own need of 'fixing' and 'changing' and making people aware of it:
1. Child abuse or any kind of abuse for that matter!
2. When the state tries to find a 'safe' home for a child only to find that the 'safe' home isn't really safe at all and the child is then exposed to more abuse etc. Which then causes the child to not believe in family ever again.
3. When people give up on young people/people just because they've messed up a few times.
4. Human trafficking...sex, drug, labour...all of the above!
5. When I see other Christians who feel the need to tell hurting people why they are suffering...and it's because of their disobedience to God - instead of loving on them and helping them through it.
6. How society tells a girl that she needs to be a certain size/colour/race/hair colour...to fit in and be noticed.
7. When I see/hear woman being verbally abusive to their husbands and talking horribly behind their back.
8. How we can get so caught up in politics that we don't notice the 'need' that's close enough kiss our face!
9. Racism - let's get over it! Stop labeling people...they are people NOT habits or specific crimes...ENOUGH!
10. World hunger...We have so much resource to alleviate this issue. We gotta start getting more creative with how we can individually change this. ME included.
You know what I've always tried to see is both sides of injustice. I don't care how cliche it sounds...Hurting people really do hurt people. I've seen myself say things I don't mean because I'm hurting. It is cause and effect. Inevitable.
We can break the cycle people - I know we can! I know it can be hard to have an ounce of sympathy or love for the abuser or the rapist but I'm starting to. In a strange way. And one thing I know for sure is that God loves them...hates what they do...but He loves them nonetheless.
Let me tell you a story that may make sense of the ludicrous statement I've just made.
I remember these 2 little girls around 8 years old that I used to see every week at church. Don't ask me how we met, because I'm not entirely sure I remember the exact moment. But we just clicked. Best of friends :). EVERY week they'd run up to me, yell my name, and give me the biggest hug imaginable. No matter what happened that day - that one moment always made my day better.
I'd known them for...probably about 6 months when the worst day in our lives happened. I was meeting and greeting the new people at church in a designated area where these girls would always meet me every week. One of the girls pokes at my arm...not the usual greeting. I look down at her and instantly my day got better. She had the most pure blue eyes - today they were sad. I said the biggest hello I could muster in that moment knowing something was wrong.
She then said, "you need to come see Ellie (that's what I'll call her for now), she's really sad and she's scared of one of the boys here."
I said "why is she scared of that boy?" You see this guy she is speaking of is also another great friend of mine who would NEVER do anything to hurt anyone; especially these girls. He genuinely cared for them.
she answers back, "You need to talk to her. She's over there."
I looked over at where she was pointing and my heart sank. I can't explain it, but I didn't think my body could feel like this so suddenly. I felt like I was going to puke and cry at the same time. I felt all of that just by looking at 'Ellie's" face. This once vibrant, loving, beautiful, free, fun girl was caged by a sadness. And I knew immediately what kind of cage this was and how she had been caged. I remember saying to God, "NO GOD! please tell me it's not true!" I walked over to her immediately and sat down beside her.
After I put my arms around her I looked at her and said, "Honey, tell me what's wrong." I wish I wouldn't have asked. Part of me wishes I didn't show up that day in church. Part of me wishes I would have never made friends with such beautiful little girls...part of me. Because that part of me wouldn't have had to hear what I was about to hear.
She started telling me the story whilst fighting back the most frightening tears I've ever seen. She told me how 2 days before that she had been playing at the playground; like she did everyday. When all the sudden a man she didn't know lured her back to his house and raped her. She didn't even know what the word 'rape was. She just knew he hurt her.
I remember being so angry in that moment, I could have hunted that man down and (in my imagination) beat the crap out of him. But the strangest thing happened. At the very same moment I was angry for this poor little girl, the spirit of God showed me something. He spoke something to me.
"What about the one who hurt her? He was a victim too."
Now I know that God does NOT agree with and detests rape and abuse of any kind! I know it...it's in His word. And I'm not saying that something like this doesn't anger Him. I think it does. He is only good. He is righteous and He burns with a righteous anger over certain things. But God sees the full picture. Both sides. Before and after. The beginning and the End.
I guess the reason why I told you that story and I why I am 'seemingly' defending the abuser, is because...we need to remember them in our prayers. They need to be delivered from darkness too. Yes there are consequences to all of our actions and we should be charged for whatever crimes we commit. It is law we live in and must adhere to. But to only see one side of the sad stories we hear every day would be just as naive as siding with the criminal.
I will never understand WHY someone would abuse or murder or rape or sell someone for money. I will never ever ever understand it. But Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. It is not the easiest thing we ever had to do. But if we could learn this....what incredible tragedies could possibly turn into triumphs?!
A victim can change their future no matter what has happened in their past. They can, it's been done. I know people very close to me who have been through 'unspeakable' tragedy and yet they are free, and loved, and have families and have completely turned away from the possibility that they would turn out the same as their offender. We may not be able to change people directly...but we can indirectly with love. People CAN change.
There is a victim on both sides of the story...I think REAL justice is making room in our hearts to see that.
You are loved way beyond your ability to comprehend - by a God who sent His one and only Son who died to save you...
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