Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves
(Proverbs 31:8).
Why is it so easy to stand by and do nothing? Is it apathy?
…cowardice? …assuming that someone else will step up? The ultimate example of
this is Kitty Genovese, the 28-year old New York City woman who was
stabbed to death right outside her apartment building in 1964. Her extended
attack lasted over 30 minutes, but neighbors (by popular report up to 38 of
them knew something bad was going on) huddled indoors and did nothing. Ten
years later, a woman was beaten to death in an adjacent building while again
neighbors heard screams, but did nothing to help [9].
Those are extreme cases, and it’s easy to read about them
and assure ourselves we would behave differently. Yet Jesus’ story of the Good
Samaritan informs us that this is not just a 20th/21st
century phenomenon. It’s part of who we are as human beings. In every city,
there are those who have no voice and need someone to speak in their defense.
Who will speak up for the poor? Who will speak up for the
victim of crime? Who will speak up for the victim of abused? Who will speak up
for those hopelessly in debt? Who will speak up for the children who go to bed
hungry? Who will speak up for the addicted? Who will speak up for those caught
up in human trafficking?
“The only thing needed for evil to prosper is for good men
to do nothing” (Edmund Burke).
TODAY’S MEDITATION
For whom should you be
speaking up?
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