This is the experience of our first night in the Red Light District through Josh’s eyes:
We prayed one last prayer together before we broke off from the group and headed into the Red Light District. Taking our marriage into this breeding ground of lust and temptation was not something we took lightly. We prayed to have the eyes of God. To have hearts to love on the oppressed and their oppressors.
I gripped Bekah's hand tightly and kept her close by side, trying to give off the signal to the prostitutes that I was married and to stay away. I looked around at all the open bars and saw women sitting or standing in the bars looking around for men to recruit. I also saw men inside some of the bars, some who were playing pool with the women. Others sat close to a bar girl, engaged in conversation. or just staring at the woman with a false confidence. I observed one man making inappropriate faces to a prostitute by a pool table. Bekah and I continued to walk and once we neared the back of the main alleyway we noticed a group of about 20 prostitutes. As we walked toward them they approached and began to talk to us. We just kept walking and exited the alleyway through the back area. We felt uncomfortable and could sense the evil in this place. We prayed and felt peace cover us and then walked back through the main alley and begin to pray over the area.
We prayed our prayers out loud as we looked at each other, disguising them as conversation and allowed God to lead us to where he wanted for the rest of the night.
Something interesting I noticed through several weeks of ministry at the red light district was how the men reacted when I said, “Hello” or “How’s it going” as I passed them on the sidewalk. Some men had a Thai prostitute by their side or sometimes following behind them and some were alone. Almost each man I greeted seemed very surprised that I was acknowledging them. Sometimes they ignored me, sometimes they just looked at me, and a few did a double take and finally said “Hello”. I got the sense that they felt ashamed and feared that maybe I was somebody that knew them from back home. Men come here to fulfill the desires of their flesh and think that they are somewhat invisible and no one will ever find out about what they are doing.
But are they any different than some of us?
How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God. John 5:44
I read this verse and immediately thought of how hard we try to impress our friends and family. We put on a good front, we say the right things, and make sure nobody finds out about our secrets or the person we are behind closed doors. Why do we try so hard to impress our friends and family and make a minimal effort to please the Most High Almighty God? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
We think that certain things about us can be hidden and nobody will find out about them. I know that I have been very guilty of this. Maybe they are actions or maybe they are thoughts inside our mind. We put on a good front, we say the right things, and make sure nobody finds out about our secrets or the person we are behind closed doors. But God knows, God knows everything that we think and sees every action we commit. Are we proud of what he sees?
