Without Christ,, You could be the same

Ashley writing here. When I was in India, I was struck very hard by the tremendous pain we saw, and I was even more saddened by not knowing what to do with those feelings. I was hurt and angry at the same time. How could someone hold these people in bonded slave labor in the slums? How could someone treat someone as if they were dirtier than a dog? How could someone use begging children to earn themselves money? How could someone take a 13 year old girl and use her in the sex slave trade? I had so much anger and hatred toward these people causing pain to the innocent until I read a chapter of "Dangerous Surrender" by Kay Warren. She said how important it is to realize that we are just as capable of evil as anyone else, the only change in us is the way Christ has changed our lives and values. We don't have the desire to do this extent of evil, but without Christ we were the same. If we weren't Christians, we could be doing the exact same evil actions.

This really helped me to recognize that as difficult as it is, the hatred has to be turned to love. Hating people for their actions won't solve anything. In fact, it would just cause more of a division. Only a huge transformation in Christ can truly change them. Rather than wanting to cause pain to those causing pain, we need to focus on how to show Christ to them so their hearts can be turned from evil. I wrote this poem one night to help me process through my thoughts. I hope you can be encouraged by it.

Without Christ, You Could Be the Same:

India, oh how broken and divided is your nation.
Shall you worship God or idols?
Shall you risk your life to follow the One who you know is true?
You want to hate those who hate you for your beliefs, but you can't hate.
For without Christ, you could be the same.

Oh how ripped apart are the begging children,
not crippled by God but by man.
The anger can become so strong against these men that cause pain to the innocent.
But you must turn that hatred to love.
For without Christ, you could be the same.

The children living under a tarp without clean hands bring tears to your eyes.
You cry for the families who are told they can work to gain a better life.
Yet they can't find a way out of bondage.
You want to hate mankind for the pain, but you can't.
For without Christ, you could be the same.

The women line the street waiting for a man to come through their door.
You cry when you think of the 6,000 women serving 20,000 men each night.
They have no way out.
They were forced into the sex slave trade by family, some at the age of 13.
You want to hate anyone who would force someone into this business, but you can't.
For without Christ, you could be the same.

We are evil, too, but with Christ we have been rescued.
Without Christ, we were the same.
Can we help save these people, too, who are still lost and trapped in evil?
Can we love instead of hate?
Yes, for with Christ, we can be the same.