This past Tuesday, I travelled to Albany to lobby for the Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act (STSJA) — state legislation aimed at shrinking the market for prostitution by stopping the arrest of those exploited in the sex trade, while continuing to hold those who exploit them criminally accountable. (You can access an overview of the bill here.)
I was with the New Yorkers for the Equality Model, a coalition of trafficking survivors, human rights advocates, trauma-informed specialists, and direct service providers. After attending a press conference, we split up into teams and visited the offices of several State Senators and Assembly Members.
My team was a group of experts, all working for organizations that address human trafficking. I was the lone lay person, if you will. I didn’t know a fraction of what my team members did about the bill or the larger issue. But a few times I found myself doing a better job than they did connecting with legislative staff because I spoke in plainer terms and kept my arguments very simple.
It reminded of the times my husband has told me to keep my sermons simple and be careful of cramming in too much theology or biblical knowledge. Information overload can cause your audience’s eyes to glaze over, and I’ve made that mistake in the pulpit more than once!
Point being, you don’t have to be an expert to speak up. Jesus is our Advocate, compelling us to advocate for others. He calls us to use our voices for the disadvantaged and marginalized, especially those silenced by oppression and fear. Even small forms of advocacy (like signing this statement in support of the STSJA) can have an impact.
You also don’t have to be an expert to evangelize. Sometimes Christians are reticent to speak openly about their faith because they think they don’t know enough about the Bible or aren’t articulate enough to explain the Good News. However, what we offer doesn’t have to be eloquent or perfectly constructed, just sincere. Sharing from the heart is a form of sharing God’s grace.
The truth is we manage our voices just as we manage our money. So make it count — in prayer, in government, in the marketplace, in our various spheres of influence, and in conversation with someone who might need an encouraging word.
When we have the courage to speak up for those in need or speak a Gospel truth, we speak up for Jesus, the One who speaks for us before the throne of the Almighty.
Adrian+