Advocacy – The Purpose Beyond Pain

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.

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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.

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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.