January 11th is Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the United States. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. From January 1st through January 11th, we’ll be posting daily blogs -- staff reflections, inspirational quotes and more that reflect our passion to see child trafficking and exploitation ended. Our resolution is to protect and defend the vulnerable and to restore and empower survivors. Join us in 2013 as we continue onwards towards abolition!
I am a spiritual being. Those of us who are spiritualists believe the world is made up of forces that interconnect us. Those connections, at one level, make me responsible for the good of my neighbor. I am not merely spiritual, however—I am also religious. Which means I am not a spiritual generalist but a believer in a revealed religion where a deity promotes a way of living. I follow Jesus Christ, and his commandment is to love my neighbor as I would myself.
There was a time when I asked “Is that a good motivation for caring, because I am commanded?” For me, it was a good enough reason to start caring—and it allowed the seed of love time enough to germinate and for Christ’s commandment to be understood for what it is—a call to interconnectedness and a life spent in the service of others.
I fight to end child trafficking because my life is dedicated to serving others, and the happiness that is found for all in that act—for both my neighbor and myself.
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” -- Rabindranath Tagore
Jim Ehrman serves as COO of the Love146 U.S. team. He was friends with the founders when its vision could still be illustrated on the proverbial restaurant napkin. Previously, he served as director of a Christian denomination’s global ministries office and most recently as executive director of a center for the study of Christianity at Yale University.
