This is a story about Mercy. It's also about revenge… justice… and fighting for yourself.
—Bruce Wayne (New Earth)
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
In theory trafficking is based on the simple law of supply and demand. In theory the problem of sex-trafficking can be easily solved: Eliminate the Demand. Where does this demand come from? Men
From all we have spoken to so far on this trip we have seen that MEN are both the problem and the solution to sex trafficking.
Now before you think that this written by an angry feminist let me remind you that I am a man myself. Yet in a court of morals I am no more innocent than the man across the coffee shop.
As men we have bought into a society that views women as object of pleasure, for some we are passive and silent, others we engage in subtle ways, others we are all in as long as its in the privacy of our own home, others search for the lure of fantasy in a far away land, and some could care less and buy in to the objectification of women here and now by buying women on the street
Men in our society are quick to blame women by saying they dress provocatively or buy saying they choose the life style of a porn star, stripper, or prostitute.
Quick to shift the blame to the opposite sex much like the Pharisees in John chapter 8 who bring a woman caught in adultery before Christ.
Men are fast to talk about the conquest of the night before, share the link of the video with a buddy, see a Hollywood film because a certain actress is in it.
We are quick to stone women blaming them for our lust, and inability to control ourselves.
When in fact when we see the writing in the sand we see our sin staring aback at us. We see that we are more responsible for the shame of the woman in adultery, than the woman herself.
That she is exposed, naked, and vulnerable because of our inability to serve, protect and cover her. In some cases we ripped off her clothes and mocked her vulnerability.
This is not a blog to beat up wounded men even further this is to move us from ignorance, to acknowledgment of guilt, to conviction, to experience the mercy of Christ, and finally to action.
This is as story of mercy though. The Beauty of the Cross is no matter how much we screwed up we can still experience mercy. During these 2 weeks I have been reminded about the mercy and grace God has shown me. No matter how many times have had lust in my heart, or somehow contributed to system by way of thoughts, words, or actions he still has had mercy on me to get me to a point of action. God’s Mercy is evident in the story of David caught in adultery seeking out a woman for his own gain. Even when he has killed his fellow man to cover up his act God still has mercy.
Revenge
“Avenge, revenge both imply to inflict pain or harm in return for pain or harm inflicted on oneself or those persons or causes to which one feels loyalty. The two words were formerly interchangeable, but have been differentiated until they now convey widely diverse ideas. Avenge is now restricted to inflicting punishment as an act of retributive justice or as a vindication of propriety: to avenge a murder by bringing the criminal to trial.” http://dictionary.reference.com
Revenge is a harsh word. Yes vengeance is the Lord yet when I see how my fellow man and my self have been brain washed into a system of lust and degrading women. Its everywhere in everything. The injustice should that society and the Devil should attempt to define our manhood should make us angry enough to act. Angry enough to take back what has been taken from us and our future sons. We should want avenge the plight of the widow and the orphan, to avenge the abuse women have gone through.
Justice
“Justice is about harmony. Revenge is about you making yourself feel better, ” Rachel Dawes to Bruce Wayne.
Justice from our desire of retributive justice I need to reflect on my mercer and move to a justice that brings harmony and change.
I can’t go off jumping off rooftops bashing in the heads of pimps, traffickers, and johns. Each time I see man verbally abusing a woman I can’t go and put him in a body cast. Although I have the desire to I don’t have the right to because without the work of Christ in my life I am no better . I have the same potential to do harm.
But Justice is saying no the system, affirming women of their value without wanting something in return. Justice is calling out a man at when an inappropriate comment is made. Justice is teaching our sons to fight for our daughters, to serve and honor all women around them. Justice is challenging other men to become fully alive in Christ and not to seek life in the things of the flesh.
Fighting for yourself.
As men as heroes we need to learn to fight for ourselves; we need to fight for our manhood. We can begin the process by admitting when we are weak, admitting the hurts with in ourselves. We need to admit when we are weak and we need brothers to lift us up. It means developing brotherhood with men we can be vulnerable with. It means drawing a line in the sand between our past and who we are in Christ. Over the past few months I have been living at a house full of brothers in Christ, valiant men of God, and I have experienced the need. I have seen us all at various points choose into vulnerability and allowing for our brothers to fight for us as a choice of fighting for ourselves. I have seen the fruit in this as well we are all the more stronger for it, and all the more braver.
