Transformed.

Today, there are over 27 million people in modern-day slavery across the world. You may think that it doesn't affect you and you have no part in it, but you do. Many companies and organizations use slaves in other countries to make their products. These products are shipped and sold in the US. By being informed, and buying Fair Trade products, you are supporting a slave free environment. Most of these people put to work are children. According to UNICEF, one in six children in the world (158 million total) is engaged in child labour. Not all of this is slave based, but appalling, nonetheless. Often times, these children, especially girls working as domestic servants are abused and sexually exploited. In India, girls are bought and forced to please men up to 40 times a day in the brothels. These statistics break my heart.

I don't share these statistics with you lightly. God has put such a passion in my heart for these people that seemingly have no hope. As a Christian, I am commanded to do something about this.

Deuteronomy 15:11: "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land."

Psalm 82:3-4: "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

James 1: 27: "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."

1 John 3:17-18: "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

God opened my eyes up to this tragedy in 10th grade, but I did not seek out opportunities to get involved. I became informed, which is necessary, but that was where my interest ended. Again and again, God's brought this issue in front of me, and I've just brushed it off. During the Passion 2010 conference, I was able to listen to Allison Townbridge from Not For Sale speak about opportunities and ways to get involved. I came back to Greensboro, and moved on with my life. I did not take the knowledge God had bestowed upon me and use it for something greater, until now. God again, burdened my heart for this cause. I'm choosing to no longer be stationary. God has opened up doors on UNCG's campus for a club to inform and allow people to get involved in abolishing modern-day slavery.

Earlier today, I met with Sandra Johnson from The Triad Ladder of Hope. It's taken a while for us to finally meet, but God's timing is always perfect. I was able to share with her what God had laid on my heart, and she shared with me what God was doing through The Triad Ladder of Hope. After hearing her stories, it is SO apparent that God is ACTIVELY moving and working through this organization. It was so encouraging.

Looking at what God's doing now, and how long I've postponed letting him use me, I can't help but chuckle. I have been so hardheaded and untrusting. But, I'm reminded over and over again that God is sovereign. Even when I'm stubborn, he's still in complete control.

I was reminded this again during small group tonight. We've been going through Ephesians, and tonight our focus was on Ephesians 2:11-22.

^"11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— ¹²remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

These verses are chocked full of wisdom and understanding. Let me just break down what God showed me through them tonight.

During the time this was written, the Jew and Gentile males were defined by their circumcision, or lack there of. The circumcision defined their identity. If they were a Jew and circumcised, they were in the law and part of God's chosen people. Ephesians was written by Paul, who was called to preach to the uncircumcised and share that the physical boundaries previously set by the law, were no longer applicable. Jesus had come to save all those which were lost, not just one group of people. Even today, the idea of the law is often integrated into our Christian beliefs. It's easy to get caught up in our checklist and guidelines. That's not what it's about anymore. Jesus came to cover our sins and to offer us hope, because without Christ, we are hopeless. According to verse 12, we "were separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." God doesn't leave it there, but offers us a hope in verse 15, "by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations." Jesus died to "destroy the barrier." We no longer live by the law, but are defined by God's all encompassing grace.

Tonight, Forrest (one of the small group leaders), asked us how we thought God saw us and what he saw in us. This question really made me think. Humanly, I don't know what would entice someone to continually love like God loves us. He loved us so much that he sent his only Son to die, a tortured, painful death. Because of this sacrifice, he can now look on his followers and see Christ blood covering all our imperfections. We're no longer broken vessels, but we're whole because of Christ sacrifice!

In verse 19, it talks about no longer being foreigners because we are members of God's kingdom. It's amazing to know that I am a citizen in Christ eternal, royal kingdom! I might have days on Earth that suck and aren't everything I hoped they would be, but I can REJOICE, because this is not my home. While reading over this, God reminded me of Hebrews 11:13c, which says, "And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." Right now, I am a stranger on this Earth. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." I am a citizen of God's kingdom, and it should change who I am. I shouldn't fit in. I don't want it to be a subtle difference either. I want the change to be noticeable. 1 Peter 4:12-16 says,

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."

The change that Christ has made in my life should cause persecution and suffering in this life. My life should be so drastically different from those around me that they don't know how to respond. It's easy to sugar coat what we as Christians are called to do and be. I'm really good at just falling into the motions. Sure my Facebook religious views state that I'm a Christian, but would others know by my day to day actions? I desire for God to transform me to be a person that 100% of the time acts like an heir to His royal kingdom.

My life should be built around Christ being my cornerstone (Eph 2:20). Wikipedia defines a cornerstone as "the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure." If my life's cornerstone is truly Christ, then everything I build on top of that has to align and fit perfectly onto the cornerstone. If it doesn't, my building won't stand. God is molding me to become "a holy temple in the Lord." I am placed here for a reason, to glorify God in all that I do. He should be protruding from me, in every aspect.

The body of Christ is crucial in this passage. Verse 19 says that as a Christian, we become, "fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's households." I've been abundantly blessed lately by an amazing body of Christ, surrounding, uplifting and encouraging me. Even though I may be an alien in this world, I'm not the only one. That thought is so comforting. I know that a lot of you reading this are probably those that God has directly placed in my life as fellow citizens. Even being on campus, and seeing a smile or being greeted by a hug by one of you can be so encouraging. It's a daily reminder that God is actively at work. He put me in Greensboro for a reason, and I am so thankful for that.