Potato Chips, Pretzels and Slavery

What is illegal everywhere and yet happens nearly everywhere?

Slavery.

'Slavery?' You may be thinking. 'Surely that doesn't really happen today.'

Let me assure you, slavery does happen today and in grossly grand proportions.

Twenty seven million people are enslaved today. Fields, brothels, homes, mines, restaurants, to name a few, are some of the industries that often profit by enslaving people.

Slavery today is a huge issue.

It is easy to turn a blind eye, especially when we live in a location where the true ugliness of the issue is more than likely never seen or experienced first hand. Can any effort made truly make a difference?

As human being we can't afford to not make an effort. Once a price has been put on life (currently, the  global average cost of a slave  is $90) no life is safe no matter where that life may live.

As believers in Jesus Christ it is even more crucial that we involve ourselves in such matters. Fasting is the topic of conversation Isaiah 58. Apparently the Israelite people were fasting yet God was not pleased with their fast. Below are just a few verses, if you haven't read the whole chapter I encourage you to do so, it is really eye opening.


Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,

only a day for a man to humble himself?

Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed

and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast,

a day acceptable to the Lord? 

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke? 

Isaiah 58:5-6 

Is this not exactly what Jesus did for us? He left His rightful place with God to come to earth and live a human life, die on our behalf and raise in victory so that He could 'loose the chains of injustice' and 'set the oppressed free' (the oppressed, by the way, was us)

If God did this for us, then how much more so should we be willing to help others? 

Okay, I could go on and on standing on this soap box. I will stop now. 

You may be wondering, 'what difference can just one person make?'

A good first step is to become informed and then help others become aware too. For more information, check out the following Ted Talk. Also, check out Kevin Bales website for lots of good information. http://www.freetheslaves.net 

Currently, it would cost roughly $10.8 billion to ensure global sustainable freedom for all people. This figure seems huge, however, seen from a global perspective $10.8 billion is a drop in the bucket. Americans will spend this amount this year on potato chips and pretzels alone.

'Just one' can truly make a difference when joined with other 'Just ones.' Who knows, maybe it is just a matter of giving up our potato chips and pretzels.