ROOTED RENEGADE

Ugh! Another week and again it happens. Why is it that still we are treated like criminals and outcasts? Less than human. Less than worthy. Less than good enough. Less than accepted. Less than ENOUGH. Just because of the trauma we have been through…sex trafficking, prostitution, sexual exploitation. If it were just domestic violence we would be treated differently. Just addiction, possibly even a little different. But because we have the BIG SCARLET LETTER somewhere invisibly on us, we are branded with a label like the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50 who was judged so harshly by everyone but Jesus.

First, let me say that I know who I am. I know what I have done and what has been done to me. I don’t need righteous Pharisees to remind me of it and treat me like I am less than a person because of it. Second, I am human with feelings and a heart that beats the same as everyone else. I am a survivor who had to survive what I did so I could stand now and show other people how. I certainly didn’t ask for it. I didn’t choose all of it. I didn’t want all of it. I didn’t wake up as a little girl and beg God for it to happen to me so I could be His servant now. Nope! That is not how that happened. Let’s get real for a second. None of us survivor’s wanted what happened to us. So those of you who treat us like we did, stop. Stop treating us like the criminals you lock up every day or the probationers on your case load. By the way, they are human too (I think sometimes you may forget that)!

Just like the sinful woman, you have no idea what our Alabaster Jar cost us. You treat us like we are nothing. Like we are to be underneath your feet. Well WE ARE NOT! We are not so devalued that we cannot rise above our ashes and find meaning in life. We are not so dehumanized that we cannot rise above your mindset of us and be who GOD created us to be. We are valuable, worthy, confident, beautiful, intelligent, creative, smart, bright, lovely, admirable, clean, bubbly, fun, loving, caring creatures that given the chance can teach the world how to be a better and safer place for people like us.

Take a minute to stop judging us for our past and acting like you have all the answers. Like we are some criminals you need put in a box and treat like we need to stay in jumpsuits the rest of our lives. My GOD BROKE ME OUT OF MY CHAINS!

WHAT WE ARE NOT IS WRAPPED IN YOURS!