Stand Up

Year 6 - Day 239: Today, I am grateful for for those who stand up for others. 

"Laying down our lives means standing up for someone else's." - Bob Goff

The world is full of bullies. Some are intentional and others are simply used to getting their way and intend to keep it that way. Some are the face of evil that is alive and busy in our global community. 

Slavery has never been completely eradicated from the planet.  Human trafficking is something we are more concerned with because of recent awareness campaigns and organizations seeking to rescue, recover and restore the lives of those caught up in the trade. 

Bob Goff (author of Love Does and Love, Always) is active with mission work in Uganda and has seen first hand what it means to lay down one's life for another. Along with young people wrongly imprisoned on false accusations, the human trafficking is another real problem. Still, we don't have to go to Uganda.

In our communities, we have our police officers, firefighters and military reserve posts always ready to jump in to serve when a situation develops where injustice shows its ugly face. We don't have to go to a far away place to find opportunities to lay down our lives for another. 

One of the things I loved about growing up "country"... is that when a neighbor had a crisis, the entire community jumped in to help. If a farm family received a cancer diagnosis, neighbors would make sure the crop was planted or harvested. We knew our neighbors and they knew us. Help was never far away. 

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.-John 5:13 

Our military families face separation and danger to protect and serve.  Our community peacekeepers walk a dangerous line every day. Domestic disputes are without a doubt the most dangerous house calls for our police. Our firefighters run in when everyone else runs out of a burning building. The anniversary of 9/11 is close. 

Today, I am grateful for for those who stand up for others.