Imagine the Good Samaritan kneeling next to that person beaten and robbed and left on the side of the road, saying, “I believe you. It’s not your fault. You are not alone.”
As followers of Jesus, this ought to be our script when we are confronted with stories not just of sexual assault, but every kind of injustice, violence, and oppression that seeks to dehumanize, denigrate and destroy God’s precious people. As we listen, we can say “I believe you” and, in doing so, move from silence and doubt toward truth and trust. We can say, “It’s not your fault” and help to replace shame with worthiness. We can live the promise “You are not alone” and step forward together from isolation toward belonging.
As followers of Jesus, we are part of building this vision of God’s reign. Our faith demands that we keep working together, so violence withers away, and everyone can live abundantly with joy and without fear.
This message is excerpted from “The truths we tell” by Sara Olson-Smith in the July 2020 Café online magazine.
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