Coming Face to Face with Evil
I was standing at the corner waiting to meet my son and his friend as they walked home from school, when the momma bear in me wanted to pounce! I saw this 5th grade, bully of a girl, begin to pick on my son’s friend who was small for a 3rd grader. Then my son’s response kept my feet planted on the pavement. As she taunted him, “What are you a kindergartener?” my son, who is big for his age, stepped up to her and said, “He’s actually older than I am!
Why don’t you go and pick on someone your own size?!” I wanted to scream, “That’s my boy!”, but I kept my cool, all the while saying a few things to the girl’s mom in my mind! I took those two boys home for a good afternoon snack and play time and that was that.
I think each of us have experienced the bully of darkness at some point in our lives (shame, discouragement, abuse, oppression, depression, disappointment). We can be intimidated by evil in this world, because it’s real. We can be deceived by the lies of the enemy and manipulated by the schemes of darkness, OR we can realize that every dark power is subject to the name of Jesus! There is no other name greater than the name of Jesus. It’s the name above all names, the name by which we are saved.
As a Christ follower, there is a responsibility we have to this world to know and activate our authority in Christ. A responsibility, like my son, to stand against darkness. Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Let’s also remember, John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. When we see an injustice, we are to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, and are able to shine the light of Jesus and overtake darkness.
If you’re like me, you are now fired up and are envisioning yourself in a pair of leather pants, walking with some swag ready to kick some darkness butt! We are all dressed up and ready to go, but…. where do we go? Have you heard of A21? It’s a nonprofit organization fueled by the radical hope that human beings everywhere will be rescued from the bondage of modern day slavery: human trafficking. Together we can make a difference as abolitionists in the 21st century. We can free slaves and disrupt the demand for trafficking by exposing this darkness.
On October 19th we can Walk For Freedom as we raise awareness that will change the laws and raise funds that will rescue victims, prosecute offenders and restore those who have been broken. We all have the power to make a change. Someone’s son or daughter is counting on us. And how proud will our Heavenly Father be standing there saying, “Yes, that’s my girl!” And that is that.
Love,
Pastor Celeste