18th November - Going Against the Norm

 

Going Against the Norm

by Ben McMechan from International Justice Mission

How would you define unfairness?

Your sibling taking charge over the T.V. remote?

Something you were blamed for but didn’t even do?

Covid-19 cancelling holidays, seeing friends and just generally messing up your plans?

This year, the phrase I have heard the most has been… “I can’t wait for everything to get back to normal”. In the case of all the changes that Covid-19 has had on our lives, I personally look forward to getting more back to normal. It will be great to see my friends and family more again, to get stuck into 5-aside on a Monday evening and to wear a face mask less! But, this season has also allowed us time to think about how ‘the normal’ isn’t always okay?

Let me explain further with 3 everyday items. Chocolate, a phone, and an item of clothing. All three of these items can relate to something that is deeply unfair and, unfortunately, has been considered ‘normal’ in today’s world. I am talking about MODERN DAY SLAVERY.

Chocolate – cocoa beans grown in Ghana by farmers living on less than 1 pound a day.

Phones – the metals used are mined by people in awful conditions all over the world.

Clothes – over 152 million are engaged in child labour to make our clothes.

Around the world today slavery is still normal! It is kind of mad to think that is still exists. Of course, not everyone who is involved in cocoa bean farming or mining metals is involved or even encouraging slavery, but I highlight these because they are industries where slavery is found. There are over 40 million people trapped in slavery right now as you read this. However, it does not have to be that way. This is your chance to take a stand and say that slavery does not have to be normal.

God has called you and me to take a stand against injustice like slavery. From the Old to the New Testament the Bible is full of God’s commands about our role in fighting against what is not right. 

Take Isaiah 1:17 – “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.”

Or Amos 5:24 – “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream."

Or take Jesus! He spoke often about justice and making it a priority for us as Christians to carry out this work. Particularly, I think of all the times Jesus reached out to the widows, the children, those who were outcasts in their society. Jesus moved towards them while everyone else backed away. Jesus asked them what they needed while others took from them. Jesus has set the example for how we are to tackle the problem of injustice and slavery today.

I work for an organisation, called International Justice Mission (IJM), that was inspired by God’s call for Christians to do something about injustice around the world. At IJM we find people who are trapped in slavery, we rescue them and then we bring the criminals to justice. So far IJM has rescued over 55,000 people from slavery (this is big), but there is a lot of work still to be done. I wonder have you ever thought about what you could do to make a difference. Let me challenge you with 3 things you can do!

1.     Check your label (I am serious… right now, check the label on your top). What country does it say it was made in? Do you know if that was a safe place for the person who made it? Do you know how many people were involved in making your clothes? Where they treated fairly and payed a decent wage? The answer is we most likely don’t even know! But, from now, we can begin to make choices that will help those who make the items we use, wear and eat. Check out this link for more info on how to buy slave free! 

 

2.     Share Share Share! Tell others about slavery today. You now know it exists, but most people do not. Why not use your Instagram page for good! For one week, make a point of adding a fact or story about modern day slavery on your insta story. You never know who will see this and what impact it will have! Follow IJM on Instagram for some ideas!

3.     Pray. I leave this to last for a reason. It is what makes the real difference! We can understand slavery. We can know it is happening today. We can even start to do something practical like give money or tell others. But when God is involved, things start to change. Lives are transformed! So, take a moment this week. Ask God to help those who are still trapped somewhere around the world in slavery. Pray that God will send someone to find, rescue and restore them.

Three things. Three things to do to take a stand against the norm. Lets make slavery a thing of the past. I wonder what God is calling YOU to do today?