Paul’s Letter to a Slave Owner
Read: Philemon 1-25 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. (v. 17) Onesimus was Philemon’s runaway slave. He met Paul in prison and became a Christian. Paul came to trust and value him. Philemon was a trusted Christian who Paul believed would have an open mind to the […]
Clothed in Beauty
Read: Proverbs 3:27-28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.” (v. 28 NLT) Clothes. Unless you’re a toddler, you have to wear them regularly. Whether you enjoy shopping or dread it, do you ever think about who made your clothes? Where did the materials come […]
Chocolate
Read: Matthew 7:7-11 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (v. 8) Every time my family has a bonfire, my nephews and niece ask for s’mores. My mom always has graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate ready for them. Our family isn’t […]
Coffee and Tea
Read: Matthew 25:31-40 And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (v. 40) My husband loves coffee, especially iced Americanos. I enjoy tea more. I enjoy the ritual: choosing a nice Earl Gray, chai, […]
Modern Slavery Around the World
Read: Matthew 5:13-16 You are the light of the world . . . Let your light shine before others. (vv. 14, 16 NLT) Now more than ever before, it is simple for human trafficking to occur because of the Internet. Sexual exploitation can be easily broadcast to viewers over the Internet. Victims can be lured […]
Child Labor
Read: Matthew 18:1-6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to . . . be drowned in the depths of the sea. (v. 6 NLT) Child labor is any form of enslavement of a child—domestic servitude, forced marriage, forced […]
Forced into Marriage
Read: Genesis 16:1-16 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. (v. 6) Forced marriage is when women or young girls are forced to marry against their will or without their consent. It’s more […]
Modern Slavery: Domestic Servitude
Read: Psalm 10:17-18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them. (v. 18 NLT) Domestic servitude is when a person who is working in a private home is either told she has no option of leaving or is persuaded to stay by force or threats. […]
Freedom from Debt
Read: Romans 6:15-23 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now . . . you are free. (vv. 17-18 NLT) The most common form of modern slavery is bonded labor. Bonded labor victims are enslaved until they repay a debt. Here’s one example from the International Justice Mission. Five families were freed from […]