noun
a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person,cause, etc.
a person who pleads for or in behalf of another; intercessor.
a person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law.
www.dictionary.com
This last week, I was blessed with an opportunity to stay in the Des Moines Iowa community. My week in Des Moines went by fast, and stirred within me a theme I have been experiencing in each town as I travel.
On Wednesday morning I was able to meet up with a church youth group from Sioux City Iowa. They were spending their spring break helping out a local Des Moines organization, one which helps those IN NEED in the community.
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| The youth group from Sioux City serving on their spring break |
In conversing with the director of the organization, we got on the topic of Advocacy. People who stand up for people, who help others in need and who help those who might not be able to help themselves.
After my conversation, this word "Advocate" rolled around in my head the whole week, even more so with it being Easter Week. You see, I am a follower of Jesus, and for me and what I believe, Jesus is the ultimate advocate. He is my intercessor, and because I follow Jesus, he in return leads and commands me, his follower, to be an advocate for others. I am called to be an advocate on other's behalf. Especially those who need an advocate, which often are the poverty-stricken, the oppressed and those who are taken advantage of.
The idea of advocacy is found all throughout the Judeo-Christian scriptures:
Psalm 82:3: “Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Matthew 19:19b: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
As I've journeyed across Iowa with Awake My Sole, I have come across other "ADVOCATES."
In
Sioux City a group
advocates for elderly people in nursing homes.
In
Orange City an organization
advocates for women and kids in difficult circumstances.
In
Spencer there is a place called The Dream Center who
advocates on behalf of students and for community members who have basic needs to be met.
In
Storm Lake I was hosted with a family who
advocates for immigrants to help them learn English so they can assimilate better into the community.
In
Webster City I came across a clinic called Justice For All who
advocates for people who don't have health insurance to help them get the proper medications they need.
In
Des Moines I served with several organizations who
advocate for those in their own community.
Every follower of Jesus is called to be an Advocate. There are many needs to be met, and followers of Jesus must help come up with creative ways to help meet those needs. It will often lead us into helping others who don't have the same beliefs as us, but because we believe God creates all humans, we advocate for them. Most of all, we advocate for others, because we have experienced Jesus advocating for us.
Wrestle with this question, "Who are you an advocate for?"
