People Matter

The words slipped out of my mouth before I even had time to think through what I was saying.

If we sponsored through them, we'd be pulling our sponsorship.

Just like that, my careless words hung in the air. And my head hit the pillow and fast asleep I fell. Never in a million years could I have foreseen what would happen next.

The next morning it felt like a tremendous elephant was in the room as I saw blogs and articles reporting the actions of this organization. My toes felt danced all over. And my words began to bubble in my soul. I began to boil furiously as I considered what I had said. Were the actions of this "Christian humanitarian" organization heinous enough for me to consider my donation before the life of a child, family and community in need? Sure I didn't agree with their decision.  However, there is a commitment to see the sponsorship through...to the end.

I have boiled over this for days. My thoughts feverishly trying to make sense of what I continue to hear over and over. As for me, I must hold to Biblical truth and stand for what has been ordained since the beginning. I am not condemning an organization, though I do not agree with their initial actions.

Here is where I take issue.

Evangelical church...what are we doing? We fuss over policy changes in an organization that helps lift people, image bearers of our God, out of poverty, yet do we consider how we spend our money? As I pictured our sponsored child's face in my head over and over, staring at his framed picture on my bookshelves, I had to ask myself,

Does my sponsorship matter if the things I'm spending my money on are going toward items made my children in forced labor?

For the one child my family sponsors - prays for, writes to, sends gifts on his behalf - am I the cause of multiple (hundreds of) children being forced to labor for wages that are not even life sustaining?  Or better yet, are they so young that they cannot even make the choice to work themselves?  These items, my shoes, my kids toys, the packaged food I purchase...am I throwing money at items for my convenience and never considering that the smallest image bearers are being trafficked in order to supply my demand?



I am furious! Church what have we become?  We fuss over policies and procedures of organizations yet our own lifestyles do not reflect Christ. From the message the Lord spoke through Jeremiah, his prophet:

This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent! ~ Jeremiah 22:3

For the one child our family is able to sponsor, we are grateful.  But now it's time to turn our attention to the ones we are oppressing. It's time to END IT! We need to educate ourselves, families, friends, communities and put an end to this.  We need to live our lives by the two greatest commands given.

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  ~ Matthew 22:37-29

Join me in educating ourselves on child labor and which companies go against the cause of Christ.  You can find more information here and here.

How are you in it to end it?  What resources have you utilized to make a difference for others?