Two Truthful Statements

If you have not seen the movie “Sound of Freedom”, make plans to see it. It is unlike any other movie. It is based on a true story and is framed around child trafficking. I know, why in the world would you want to see a movie like that. I promise you won’t regret it. It will open your eyes to just how easy it can happen. I’ll do my best to not give away the plot but there are two lines in the movie that stood out.

Two of the characters are having a conversation about the situation and the main character ask the other why is he helping. His response is, “When God tells you to do something, you do it!” Neither of these guys wanted to be doing what they had to do. How often have we known that we needed to do something but put it off because we just didn’t really want to? I immediately thought of Jonah. He did not want to go into Nineveh. We all know what happened. In three days, Jonah was ready to do what God had tasked him with. Jonah learned that when God tells you to do something, you do it. God needs us to do certain things so that His plan can play out. Are we keeping God’s plans from playing out? No. He will find someone else if needed but I sure don’t want to have to answer to Him for ignoring what needed to be done. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 is a message of hope and a promise.

The other line from the movie that stuck with me was this. “God’s children are not for sale!” Boy did that hit hard. How often do companies use children to sell a product? How often are children used to turn a product into profit? How often are children used as slave labor or cheap labor to make a product that we think we have to have? We do not know the answer but I can bet you it is way more often than we realize.

Our children are our treasures and we all are tasked with protecting them, training them, guiding them, and teaching them. Don’t let your children wander and do as they please. They will imitate someone. You make sure you know who they are imitating. Children learn by seeing, hearing, and doing. Control what they see, make sure they hear what you want them to hear, and help them learn to do all the things that will help them be productive. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Lord please help us to protect our greatest treasure here on earth. Amen