WWJD, What would Jesus do? We’ve all seen it, maybe even wear it on our wrists or have a sticker on our car. What would Jesus do? Some may say it as a joke, but this month this statement becomes all too real. This month we are working with lighthouse in action in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We will be working with individuals who are in the sex industry, kids who are at risk for being sold or choosing to enter the sex industry, and individuals who have been freed from the industry.
I say that this statement becomes all too real because this month I will be challenged to truly see people the way Jesus does. What would Jesus do when He sees someone, one of His children, being forced to do things they don’t want to do sexually for money? Because I know what I would do. I would be filled with anger, for someone taking advantage of someone I love. For buying sex from someone I call my child. I would be filled with rage for someone lying to my child, saying the will have a better life, just to make a few baht off of them.
Walking through the streets here, you see bars left and right, and in those bars you see young individuals waiting out front trying to bring customers in. What then becomes horrifically obvious is that these individuals are waiting for men to please, so they can earn their money for the night. The other night we went out to a bar down the road (my mom is here!) just trying to find some girls to talk to. To hear their story, why they are where the are and how they got there. It had been raining so we didn’t see many people at the bar at first, but as the night went on people came in and out. The thing that kept creeping back in to my mind is what would Jesus do?
I saw men talking to the young servers at the bar and then a minute later they would be gone. In my head all I could think was “what a scum bag” but again I was reminded, how would Jesus love that person? How do you love someone you don’t even like? Our host told us this month would be hard because you have to learn to love each party involved. You have to love the girl (or ladyboy), you have to love the guy who desires the affection, and you have to love the person who is coercing the individual to do things they don’t want to do. What the heck does that even look like?! I don’t want to try and love someone who doesn’t deserve it… and that’s when I get socked straight in the face by the Holy Spirit. I don’t deserve the love the Lord lavishes me with, I suck sometimes too.
So what would Jesus do? He would love unconditionally. He would approach people with grace AND truth, we don’t know what we don’t know. He would meet people where they’re at, in the middle of the mess. He wouldn’t judge them for the choices they’re making, but He would show them a better way to do things. So that is what I am going to do. Because Jesus didn’t die on a cross for me to judge people, to not extend grace as it has been extended to me, to not boldly share the way the Lord has moved in my life. So please pray for me this month, this is a lot easier said than done and I have to take life day by day.
