Speak Up!

Don't you just love the heart of a mother?  We will do anything to defend and support our kids.  When they make bad decisions, we give them advice (even when we know it won't be heeded), and then we give them a soft place to land when they stumble.  When they are wronged - we will fight for them!

I talked with a mom last night whose daughter recently dealt with a sexual harassment situation at work.  What advice would a mom give her daughter in that situation?  That's an obviously simple answer - FIGHT.  Of course we want our daughters to stand up for themselves, to speak out, to defend their own honor.

Not only does a young woman in that difficult situation deserve to fight for her dignity, but it's in the man's best interest for his victim to stand up to him and to stop him.  He's traveling down a dangerous road - one that could land him in jail.  

All of us are the sons or daughters of somebody, and if any of you find yourself being harassed in ANY way - whether it's at work, at home, in church, or in the neighborhood - you deserve more.  You MUST stand up for yourself.  You MUST preserve your dignity.  No one should be able to take your dignity and reputation without your permission!

I've been harassed for years by a small group of mean people.  In the past few months a brand new accusation against me has surfaced.  I've been told to keep my mouth shut and "let God be your defender".  

Can you IMAGINE my friend giving that advice to her daughter?  Can you imagine any mother telling her daughter to keep her mouth shut and just let the abuse continue?  

I am somebody's daughter.  I am a daughter of The King of kings!  I have a voice, and I deserve the opportunity to use it.

I believe that if the devil has a garden, he grows the choking weeds of gossip, lies, judgment, condemnation, harassment, and hatred.  He uses silence as his fertilizer.  When we silence truth, the void will be filled with a cacophony of lies. 

Speak.  SPEAK UP!