Modern technologies have eliminated our excuse we didn’t know. We live in a time when the whole world is in our living room. There was a time not that long ago when a person could live their entire lives in a world no more than 50 miles from their home, but those days are far gone for most of us. We can turn the television on and know what is going on half way around the world.
With social media comes exposure to worlds we never knew existed. Issues like world hunger, sex trafficking, slavery, racism, social injustice, war, poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, and inequality are a few social ills that you know about. You may choose to ignore them, turn a blind eye to them, but you can’t say you don’t know these social ills exist. And with knowledge comes responsibility.
This post is not to make you feel guilty. I know we can become overwhelmed with all the evil in our world and feel like there is nothing we can do to make a difference. Or you may be asking, where do I start? I can’t answer for you where you should start, but I would like to suggest if each of us done our small part together we could make a huge difference.
I, like many of you have limited resources and get overwhelmed and heartbroken thinking about the world some people have to live in. It breaks my heart to know there are 2 million women, girls, and boys who are stolen, transported halfway around the world and sold into sex trafficking against their will. It is beyond comprehension that 25,000 people die each day of starvation. It is social injustice that families in America have to live in such inequality and poverty that their neighborhoods are literally war zones.
As Christ followers we are called to be people of action. We are challenged with what Jesus called the greatest two commandments to love God, and to love others to the point of involvement. Therefore, this is a call to action.
What can you do?
Find an organization who is actively involved making a difference against some of the social ills in our world and support them. Pick a cause that tugs at your heart to support. You can provide support in three ways:
Donate financially. Every small donation can make a difference in someone’s life.
Volunteer. Many of these organizations are short staff and will not turn down help.
Pray. Begin to pray for a social issue until it moves you.
Here is a small list of organizations that are making a difference:
International Justice Mission - sex trafficking
World Hunger Relief - feeding the hungry
Charity:Water - clean drinking water
Your Local homeless shelter - homeless
You local food pantry (Gleaners)
There are several social justice organizations
3. Educate yourself. It may be unpleasant, but we have a responsibility to educate
ourselves so we can help others.
4. There are social issues facing your local community. That is a good place to begin.
Jesus called us to bring salvation to the world. This salvation isn’t just spiritual. Read through the Gospels and notice how many times Jesus got involved in the social issues of his day of poverty, racism, injustice, religious pride, and hunger. This Gospel of Jesus is a commission to do our part to make the world a better place for someone.
If we are not doing our part to end social ills we empower these social ills.
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