Advocate
“I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.”
Job 29:12-17
Job was an advocate for the poor and needy. “When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,” he tells us, “the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet; the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands; the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me” (Job 29:7-11).
Letter-writing is a powerful form of advocacy. “Words kill, words give life,” wrote King Solomon. “They’re either poison or fruit; you choose” (Proverbs 18:21, The Message). Furthermore, in the minds of government officials worldwide, one letter from someone who invests time and thought counts as many from those who agree but did not have or take time to write.
Correspondence from Christians should reflect the spirit of Christ. Our letters should not heap anger, criticism or condemnation. A brief checklist will help ensure that the spirit of the wolf does not slip into our writing.
1. Begin with prayer. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is; his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
“Words kill, words give life…They’re either poison or fruit; you choose.”
(Proverbs 18:21, The Message)
2. Be polite. Keep in mind that Jesus paid the ultimate price for the man or woman to whom you are writing. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone; for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
3. Demonstrate respect, “for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” (Romans 13:6-7).
4. Avoid politics. If you write to request a prisoner’s release or humane treatment, stick with legal and/or moral reasons.
5. Agree when you can. For example, we all agree that ideas are powerful. But the government need not fear Christian ideas. Rather, it should be glad to have a growing Christian population, because the “ideas” of Christ are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is [should be] no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
6. Request, rather than demand, for “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
7. Point out benefits the reader may not have considered. For example, if China granted its Christian population complete religious freedom, its overall productivity would increase, because Christians are taught: “Whatever you do, work at it will all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-25).
Meet Our Founder
As the “Countdown Clock” on Tian’anmen Square ticked backwards toward the July 1 takeover of Hong Kong, Bob Fu and his pregnant wife, Heidi, knew their time was running out, too... Learn More >
China Aid Association. Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved.
Religious Freedom Index >>
Designed and Developed by Trinet Internet Solutions