taking action

August 31, 2004

I had the opportunity to spend a few hours at the book store last weekend. It’s my place of choice when I can steal away for some time alone.

On this trip, I happened upon a book called Burned Alive. It’s a story about honor killing and one woman’s personal story of survival. Honor killings occur when a family attempts to regain honor after one of their women acts inappropriately. According to custom, the shame brought on the family by the woman is only removed when she is put to death. (The fact that this appears to be a sick, evil twist on Christ’s sacrificial death to restore our shame is another story.)

Burned Alive was horrifying–there’s no other way to describe it. What’s more shocking is that it’s not just a part of barbarian history but it’s something that happens all around the world, from Great Britain to Israel to Ecuador, today, in 2004.

Reading this woman’s story was overwhelming. While I absolutely believe honor killings occur, they are something I can hardly wrap my brain around–it’s so completely removed from my own experience. Admittedly, I have no idea what to do with the knowledge of the atrocity.

But one thing’s for sure: I’m convicted of my inward-focused, self-centered tendency to let the world become as tiny as my own circumstance. It behooves me to turn my eyes outward, face the truth and strain to see the world as it really is. But realization is not the end. Action must follow. After all, Jesus’ last command on earth was one of action: “Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19)

Injustice lurks everywhere and it would be foolish to take it all on single-handedly. The question is, for which cause will I refuse to turn and run, stop and stare or defer to someone else but instead, stand and fight?

How about you?

Related posts:

  1. Action steps for 2010
  2. Because the dam will break
  3. A Wounded Heart, Part 3

Category: My Deep Thoughts

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