Is it any
coincidence that the Holy Spirit is The Advocate?
That
humbled are we when called to such a grounded office,
All it
takes is a willingness to serve, to honour, to validate,
Disregarding every sense that we
might feel as a novice.
***
The Purpose Beyond Pain
Every now and then we are reminded
of the urgency in the pain of one person that compels them to act, later, for a
much broader group. Victims of abuse and neglect are the common genotype.
Experiences of gross pain have their outlet in such a call of advocacy. Heaven
knows how much advocacy is needed.
Advocacy is the perfect response
to the wrongs of the world.
It takes the injustices, those
that are hardly comprehensible, and certainly unconscionable in reasonable
people’s eyes, and it bends them back valiantly to justice. And justice can
only work where justice is left to the Lord. Advocacy respects such justice
even in the midst of personal injustice. It can do so because advocacy is its
own outlet.
Pain is a common predictor for
purpose.
Where anyone has been wronged, yet
they have love on their side, and have not given up on reconciliation to
justice, they are ripe for advocacy. God blesses the ones who will later come
into contact with the advocate. The advocate acts as a guide; a helper; a
trusted friend.
Modelling Our Advocacy On ‘The Advocate’
When we consider that advocacy
works off a model that has its genesis in the divine realm, we understand the
significance, history, and primacy of the role.
Advocacy is the role, first, of
The Advocate.
Is there any coincidence, perhaps,
in the idea that The Advocate—the Holy Spirit given from the Father, sent through
the Son—comes after much suffering? The Son suffers and dies, and, when he is
ready, he ascends. Then comes The Advocate.
Likewise, the human advocate has
already suffered. Their suffering qualifies them for their advocacy. They may
need no further qualification other than the passion to defend the oppressed in
a godly way.
And as the advocate operates in a
representative manner, as if hedging in and protecting its chicks, so The
Advocate intercedes for us, the believers. It is a great responsibility to be
an advocate, but even more so it is an esteemed privilege. People lesser off
are benefited by our support and intervention. God uses advocates powerfully to
do Divine will.
***
Advocacy is the role of the Holy Spirit,
which represents us and came after Jesus’ suffering. It is also our role to be
as advocates for those that suffer after us in the ways we suffered. Rather
than avengers, the world needs more advocates.
© 2012 S. J. Wickham.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.