As I write this, there are millions of refugees fleeing their war-torn countries, simply seeking a safe place for them and their families to lay their heads. There are women in India who are so mistreated that the suicide rate amongst them is 20x the worldwide rate – it is the leading cause of death for Indian women ages 15-49. On any given day, there are approximately 415,000 children in the foster care system in America, wanting nothing more than to feel loved and wanted. There are an estimated 143 to 210 million orphans worldwide. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide because of a lack of mental health resources as well as a large stigma that still surrounds mental illness. There is a terrifying lack of empathy and love in our world today, which brings about the unnecessary mistreatment and neglect of millions of people each day. When we look at all of these issues, they seem so large and unfixable. Why bother trying to speak up about these issues or work to change them when there’s no way that one person can solve them, right? Wrong. As this title suggests, it is up to you to decide to make a change in this world, no matter how daunting that may seem.
As we look throughout history, every movement that has led to great change started with a single person; a person who was upset by what was going on, and was passionate enough to stand up against it. A single person turned into a few passionate people, which turned into hundreds, which turned into thousands. Through this, change was made, and the world improved for those who were fought for. Women got the right to vote. Racial segregation came to an end. And while there is still a lot of progress to be made, huge strides were made in improving the lives of those affected by injustice.
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” ~ Margaret Mead
As detailed briefly in the first paragraph – which doesn’t even touch on all that is wrong in the world – there are still countless injustices that are happening today. While there are many people who spend every day fighting to end such injustices, the majority of people that I encounter are typically one of three things: completely unaware of the issues, are maddened by them but believe they cannot do anything to stop it, or simply cannot be bothered to try. A common reason behind this is that it truly is not a fun thing to be passionate about ending injustice and to push against societal norms. I’d love to sugar-coat it, but I can’t. Sometimes, I hate how angry I get when I see people mistreated. I hate how greatly my heart breaks for those who are suffering. I hate how frustrated I feel when I hear other individuals – especially those in the Christian community – being hateful towards a specific group of people, or completely disregarding the suffering of others. It’s not fun to feel such strong emotions, and quite frankly, life would be a lot easier if I could turn a blind eye to what is going on around me. However, I then remember that God created me this way for a reason. I remember that change comes from the passionate people who feel something when they see an injustice. I remember that God calls us to stand up for those who are suffering. I remember that God calls us to love everyone around us, even if they are deemed an enemy.
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” ~Proverbs 31: 8-9
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” ~ Isaiah 1:17
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” ~ Romans 12:9
As you can see from those few scriptures, God wants us to speak up for the oppressed. He wants us to hate the evil that goes on in the world. He wants us to open our mouths and defend those who are mistreated. He doesn’t want us to just sit back and let it happen, justifying our actions because the oppression doesn’t affect us, or because it is too difficult to speak up. We cannot attribute the suffering that goes on to the fact that we live in a fallen world, and then turn a blind eye. As stated in Luke 9:23, we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Christ. Doing this is never comfortable, and I strongly believe that standing up for the oppressed and fighting injustice is a huge part of following Christ. We must remember that God hates injustice, so why wouldn’t He want us to do something about it?
“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing” ~ Isaiah 61:8
Now, if this has never been something that is common for you, you may be asking, “But how do I go about standing up for the oppressed and fighting injustice?” Well, I have compiled a small list of what I think are a few steps to doing those things. As I conclude this blog post and leave you to read that list, I want you to remember something: It is up to you. It is up to you to help the oppressed. It is up to you to fight injustice. It is up to you to make change in this world. You simply need to make the choice to do so.
A few simple steps for changing the world:
1. EDUCATE – First and foremost, educate yourself on the issue. Once you are educated and know what the issue is and why it is wrong, educate others! I believe that education is the first step to making a change.
2. SPEAK UP – This is where it starts getting uncomfortable. Speak up about the issue that you are passionate about changing. If the topic comes up, give your opinion. If a debate begins, defend your position. I don’t mean to angrily yell at someone who disagrees with you, or try to force your opinions on others. I mean engage in a healthy dialogue that allows both parties to consider their position, defend it by providing evidence to back it, and reconsider their opinion if new information is acquired, or something is viewed in a new way.
3. MAKE A CHANGE – While the first two steps are incredibly important, here’s how movements really start rolling. With the help of others who are passionate about ending the same issues that you are, begin to figure out how a change can be made. Participate in protests. Sign petitions. Contact government officials. Volunteer. So much can be done, no matter where you are.
4. PRAY – As someone who is extremely passionate and is enraged by injustice, I know how maddening and hopeless it can feel to look at the state of the world. It feels like no matter where you turn, there is a new tragedy occurring. It is so important to pray for guidance in how you can help those who are suffering, and to truly listen for God’s voice. Additionally, pray that you can keep a level head. I know that I constantly need to pray for the Lord to calm me down when I am feeling angered and disheartened about the injustice around me. Prayer is a fantastic tool in making a change.
