Inside an old church on 12th & Taylor, I stood toward the back of a small room. It was January 11th and inside my head I heard a whisper. They’re all praying for worthy things and worthy people at this meeting. But I hear no prayers for the pimp.

An Encouragement Towards Prayer

Inside an old church on 12th & Taylor, I stood toward the back of a small room. It was January 11th and inside my head I heard a whisper. They’re all praying for worthy things and worthy people at this meeting. But I hear no prayers for the pimp. Or his parents. The recruiter. Or the man who sits alone in self-hatred and shame because he has been sexually enslaved for 12 years and buys bodies online–or, as some Christians would call him, a worthless sex addict. I tried to gather the courage to speak my prayer in the microphone for these “monsters”. Because inside my head, I heard a whisper.

When he spoke at the Hands of Hope Mentoring Workshop last weekend, Compassion Connect’s Co-Founder Gary Tribbett echoed that whisper and even referenced the very scripture I read that cold night, from Ephesians 6. His words were sharp, yet soft, leaving a smile on many faces as he gave some key tips on how to bear the image of God. He said we do so when we make God known on this earth, which in turn, brings Him glory. We’d be all-star image-bearers if it weren’t for our adversary…our opponent. But the Father of Lies is stickin’ to his tactic of subtle deception, and he begins with making us question how we look vs. who we are. If our perceived worth is solidified in appearance and performance, he’s got a good grip–and it will take some real work to wrestle free of those lies.

The more His image is reflected, the more glory He receives, and more people are loved.

Then Gary asked some tough questions: how many people who are unchurched or unsaved – do you love? What if we truly loved everyone? Is it possible to lengthen our list? Starting “backwards” from the most vulnerable and abused or the stiff-hugging, mean-mugging, cussing, yelling, slouching…indifferent…quiet and weeping ones – would we all commit now as the Church (with a capital C) to make that list longer? Include the forcing, defrauding, coercing ones – the men who are really just boys, now locked in addicted bodies and demented mindsets, if you thought you could you love them. If not yet, would you gather together to pray for them?

I can’t help imagining if all the churches in Portland began praying for the men who are abusing these women, as well as for the women themselves. Just think what that could do to change the face of sexual slavery in our city!