The first verse grabbed me as soon as I began reading. So immediate and tight was the grab that I had to force myself to continue reading the entire chapter. In doing so, I saw so much more. So many stopping and pondering points in today’s chapter. And yet at the end I returned to the first words that grabbed me.
Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter (1).
I am sure the tenacious hold of these words is due in large part to the time of year. It has been a number of years now that my wife and a growing number of women in my church have participated in Dressember (www.dressember.org), where women where only dresses throughout the month of December. Dressember is a fundraising and awareness campaign for the plight of the 36 million people, mostly women and children, who are enslaved around the world. Women where dresses to show off the dignity of women and to produce conversations about the plight of theses modern day slaves. Money raised is given to International Justice Mission (www.IJM.org) and other organizations who are working to end today’s slavery horror.
Men are joining this cause, some wear bow ties, I have chosen to wear a vest –Vestember –every time I leave my home to show solidarity for this cause.
The writer’s words struck me as I opened my Bible… Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.
Oppression has been around as long as people… it goes back to Cain verse Abel. We are a cockeyed species, we human beings!
I just finished reading T.H. White’s Once and Future King. This Arthurian Legend makes a point that we humans are the only animal species to war among ourselves. Oppression comes in many shapes and sizes.
Oppressed people have no comforter… the writer is correct and by God’s grace I am hoping my small gesture wearing a vest will bring some comfort and possibly help raise awareness for the need of a comforter… maybe you can be a comforter too?
O God, help me grow a heart for the oppressed, down trodden, and looked passed. I can’t eradicate sin –the source of our oppressing –only You Lord Jesus can do that. But I can be a human agent used by You to speak and help people who are oppressed. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
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