Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
ISAIAH 60:1
Nick and I sat talking to fourteen young women brutalized by sex traffickers — evil men of evil intent. One of the women, Sonia, had asked a piercing question: “Why didn’t you come sooner?” Realizing that excuses were trifling, I had simply asked for their forgiveness. Nothing else mattered to me at that moment but these girls, their despair — and what healing God could bring to them.
“I want you to know,” I said with new conviction, “that I have now heard your cries. I have seen you. I see you now.” I turned to Mary. “I see you, Mary. And when I see you, I see Anna.” I turned to Sonia. “I see you, Sonia.” I looked intently at each girl seated at the table. “I see each of you. I hear you. I know you by name. I have come for each of you.”
I wanted to see these girls as Jesus saw them — not as a sea of needs, but as individuals he had called by name, chosen one by one, and loved. I heard his words before I spoke my own: “Tell them I have their names written in my book. That I came to give the good news to the poor. To heal the brokenhearted. To set the captives free. Tell them these promises are for here. Now. As well as for eternity.”
“You will no longer be hidden,” I told Sonia. “From now on, wherever I go, I will tell people you exist.” I focused on each girl, one at a time. “I will ask them the very same question you’ve asked me. I will not sit back waiting, hoping, wishing, for someone else to do something. I promise you: I will be the someone. Now that I have found you, I will find other girls like you. I will do everything I can to stop this.”
MOMENT OF REFLECTION
Will you speak up? Will you pray?
Now that you know, what will you do?