Do you have the day off? Chances are if you work at a bank, a school or any other government agency, you have President’s Day off. It started out being a day that celebrated George Washington, our first President. Then Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth President, was included in the celebration. Today, it is a day designated to honor all of our nation’s Presidents.
Which President is your favorite? I’d have to say Abraham Lincoln. He is regarded as one of America’s greatest heroes. A strong civil rights activist, when President, Lincoln made it one of his highest priorities to abolish slavery in the United States. He did not believe one human being had the right to own another.
While by all appearances he was a humble man, nothing seemed to rile him like the fight against slavery. He had this to say on the issue:
I am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I can not remember when I did not so think, and feel.”
He understood it was God’s plan and purpose for all men (and women) to be free. He knew those who felt they had a right to take other’s freedom from them for personal gain would, in fact, be losing their own freedom in the Kingdom.
Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.”
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” [Matthew 7:2]
Jesus died for our freedom and the freedom of any who call upon His name, irregardless or their race or gender [John 3:16]. In Romans 5:7-8, Paul said,
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
During Lincoln’s day, slaves were brought in chains to auction blocks where plantation owners would bid on them and they’d be sold to the highest bidder. They would go with their new owner, who they called master, and had to do whatever he told them to do or risk their very lives. Today, slaves are auctioned off on the internet, through cell phones and on tracks [an area of town known to have prostitutes out on the street]. They’re forced to call their owner Daddy, though rarely is there any family relation.
As followers of Christ, we are called to proclaim His message to the world, that includes freedom for all people. No one should be a slave of another; yet, today in our country there are an estimated 100,000 people being sexually trafficked on any given day with 300,000 at risk every year. Learn more here.
I must say, I agree with Lincoln when he said,
Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”
All slavery needs to be abolished! We need to work as vigilantly today to eradicate it, both locally and globally, as Lincoln did in his day. No person should be for sale.
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