New life mantra: “Love first, ask questions later”. Well, I’m working on it at least. It’s easier said than done. But, what if that was the way we functioned? Not in the “where have you been? What have you done? What can you offer me?” mind set. But if we walked in the frame of mind that sees every person as important, valuable, precious, and redeemable. What if we looked past each persons brokenness and saw them through a vail of grace and mercy? That’s how Jesus sees us…so who am I to lift that vail that’s covering me to look out at the world in judgement? See, that vail that’s covering us works both ways. We’re blanketed by that scandalous grace and that’s what God sees us through, and if we are covered by that vail, that’s what we are looking out into the world through. I shouldn’t be lifting it up to peer out at others.
It’s not our job to correct, convince, or to change people. That’s the Spirit’s role. Our role is simply to love; to encourage, to appreciate, to value, and to empower people. And to do that I don’t need to know your past, your mistakes, or your regrets. God knows them, and despite them, he says you are his beloved. And if you are his beloved, who am I to see you as anything but that?
We are spending this month working with a ministry called Lighthouse in Action. Lighthouse in Action’s mission is to “eradicate the commercial sex trade in Chiang Mai, and see the Thai people choose abundant life through Jesus, as we show them His truth and love through our actions. We want to see them spread this Truth like a wildfire across the nation, and beyond”. This month we have the honor of coming alongside this amazing organization to fuel that fire.
So, a “typical” ministry day at Lighthouse in Action looks like this:
Quiet time with Jesus. You’ve got to be filled up with Him to be able to pour out, so that’s the #1 priority.
Prayer walking the Red Light District. We can’t do this in our own power, so we blanket everything in prayer throughout the day preparing for our nights in the bars.
Worship. Before we go out at night, our squad gathers together to worship and pray. God is good. So good. We operate out of His goodness. So we gather together to praise him for the victory we already have in him!
Then, it’s go time! Some people stay back to intercede for the people heading out. And the rest pair up to go out. Us girls put on our nicest World Race attire 🙂 and a little make up, and then we head out. We spend our night with the girls, lady boys, and men at the bars chatting, laughing, playing pool or jenga, talking about our families or asking the girls about their dreams for the future. We make friends and we love the people right where they are at. Sometimes these conversations lead to lunch dates, invites to birthday parties, or simply a request to stop by and see them again. And maybe, after days, weeks, months, or years of investing, a bold, brave, and I’m sure scary decision might be made to step into a new life. Whatever the outcome, these people were loved for that night, and that matters.
In our preparation for starting our ministry this month, one of the staff members here asked us all, “how do you know when you are ready to start doing bar ministry?” Her answer, “when you are ready to love EVERY SINGLE PERSON out there”.
So here’s where I’m at. How is it possible to look at a 60+ year old man, watch him make an exchange to “buy” a precious 20 something year old girl for a couple of hours, and love him; have you’re heart break for not only her but for him too? I DON’T KNOW. But Jesus does. So it’s by his strength that I operate, and I ask him for his eyes, not mine. So when I catch myself making eye contact with one of these men across the bar and smiling, my heart swells, because I know it’s Jesus, not me. And that’s what I want, less of me and more of Him.
Tonight I spent most of my time chatting with two men and learning a little about their stories. They did most of the talking, I did most of the listening. And while everything in me is fighting for these girls, there’s something in me that breaks for these men too. This sounds ABSOLUTELY CRAZY, and the only answer I have is that Jesus is up to something.
Psalm 34 says that He is close to the broken-hearted, and he rescues those who are crushed in spirit. Crushed in spirit is about the most accurate description I can come up with for the people I met tonight. But, that means Jesus is there. We’re walking on holy ground because his spirit is near to these broken-hearts. The Bible says where sin abounds his grace abounds much more. So can it be, that these streets, full of sin and brokenness, are so flooded by grace that I can’t help but walk in it? Grace is messy, people are messy, the Gospel is messy. But for now, I know my role: love first, ask questions later.
My hope is that this month our team will bring a glimmer of hope to the people of Chiang Mai, and that we can give them a glimpse of their Father; and that I will leave here a better lover of ALL people.
