th (1)What do you do when you see an article about sex trafficking posted on Facebook or Twitter?  Do you read it? Do you scroll down and ignore it? Or do you simply forward it to someone, like me, who you know is in the fight against human sex trafficking?

Let’s face it, no one enjoys reading those articles, even me; however, we cannot afford to look the other way.  Our nation’s greatest treasure is being plundered right before our very eyes, within our boarders.  While it may not be your son or daughter in the article, it could be.

This vile crime is no respecter of persons.   It impacts rich, poor, and everyone in between. I’ve talked with black girls, Hispanic girls, white girls and Asian girls who have fallen victim of it.  I’ve listened to stories shared by girls who came from two parent households who went to church, were involved in Young Life and FCA and they still fell victim of this heinous crime.  Pimps aren’t just looking for the girls on the street in the hood.  They’re looking for any girl they can acquire.

One step we can take as parents, teachers, coaches, and clergy is to talk about sex.  In our culture, the people inside the church tend to treat sex like a four letter word and those outside of the church love to talk about it.  When the church and parents don’t talk about it, our children are forced to gain whatever information they can from the world or from private searches on the internet, which pimps are counting on.  The internet is laden with soft and hard porn that can be accessed with a few clicks on the curser.  It is so readily available, our children can watch it on their phones anywhere they have internet access.

Who do you want to be viewed as the expert on sex in your child’s eyes, you or the world? If not you, then you want it to be the church.  Research suggests the first person to present new information to a child is viewed as the expert by that child.  All other information brought to them on that topic is sifted through their “expert’s” explanation.  If we leave conversations of sex to the world, to the schools, to our children’s peers, then we are in for a nightmare.

Proverbs 22:6 says,

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

When we talk with our children about sex and leave the door open for questions and future conversations, we take away some of the mystery of it.  We take away the need for them to research on the internet, possibly stumbling onto porn.  We get to impart a Biblical view of sex and show how God created it to be beautiful and called it good when handled the way He intended. Our children will understand what is natural about sex and what is twisted, perverted, and damaging to them, mind, body and spirit.

When the church speaks out on the issue of sex, pornography, trafficking and the like, it provides a place for those who have been victimized to seek help and it loosens the grip of shame and guilt.  It offers a place for healing and accountability. God created us for community and knew the importance of it.

Hebrews 10:25 says,

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another– and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Friends, it’s time to talk about sex. This is one of the many tools the Lord put in our tool belt to help us protect our children from predators and to prevent them from becoming one. What part of talking about sex in the church or with your children makes you uncomfortable? Share one thing that would help make it easier for you.  I believe in this so strongly.  I want to help make it happen.