Update:
I have been in Cambodia for just over a week and in Sihanoukville for 6 days! It has been a beautiful, whirlwind of watching God take care of and revealing himself through all the small things.
It has been a very productive week! With the help of the incredible Iris Cambodia family I now am sitting my own, furnished apartment with wifi, a local cell phone and a scooter out back. I am in the early early stages of learning the language and catching the vision for what Iris Cambodia looks like and what it is becoming. This is an incredible time to be here and to be apart of this family. Our God of details has taken care of every little thing.
This is the view from my bedroom in my new home...Its always a beautiful view rain or shine!
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Lessons I'm Learning:
As I have encountered the commercial sex industry here, the brokenness is so apparent. The men that walk these streets in search for a young girl to satisfy their desires, the girls and boys who work the bars and streets and the children who are exploited and sold by relatives: All are enslaved by darkness. All need light. As I am in the beginning stages of encountering this darkness first hand I am reminded of Jesus response to our sin.
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [court], and the people came to Him in crowds. He sat down and was teaching them,
When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court and put the case before Him.
Teacher, they said, This woman has been caught in the very act of adultery.
Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such [women–offenders] shall be stoned to death. But what do You say [to do with her–what is Your sentence]? [Deut. 22:22-24.]
This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.
However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger. They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court.
When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?
She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more. Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.
John 8:1-12 AMP
Often I read this story from the perspective of the women. From the perspective of relief that she received life and not death. But since I have been in Cambodia my perspective has changed. As I try to figure out how to respond to all parties involved (pimps, johns(clients), exploited women, exploited children and relatives/parents who sell their children), I realize how reliant I am on the response of Jesus.
First, he listened to the condition of the women and the situation. He was not ignorant but informed. Second, my heart tells me he talked to the Father. We know in scripture that Jesus only went where the Father told him and said what the Father said. "This is because I have never spoken on My own authority or of My own accord or as self-appointed, but the Father Who sent Me has Himself given Me orders (concerning) what to say and what to tell.[Deut. 18:18,19.] And I know that His commandment is (means) eternal life. So whatever I speak, I am saying (exactly) what My Father has told Me to say and in accordance with His instructions." (John12:49-50). Third, Jesus removes the condemnation of others. By addressing her accusers he addresses her as a person and not just the accusations against her. By removing the accusers from the situation he creates a place of intimacy and relationship with the women. Fourth, from the place of relationship He shows her grace not just from men but from God! Fifth, He calls her higher. He calls her to a life that is full of light. In this short scene Jesus removes the shame which often one of the most powerful catalyst in us staying in sin. He calls her to a life that is compelled by an encounter of love and mercy.
Christ chose not to condemn or shame. Instead he was aware, listening to the Father, and out of love and relationship calling his daughter higher. May my response be the same as my Lord. A response of love, relationship and encouragement to a life in the light. I love that in the first teaching Christ gives after this encounter "He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life." He gives all of his children the chance to walk in light. Not condemning our choices in the darkness but loving us into the light. As my friend Jason Carr says, you can not scoop the darkness out of the room, you must flood it with light. May we all be ones who flood the world with Light that leads to life! Jesus show us your way.
