The flourishing life is something that most people thirst and strive for, but never actually feel satisfied in attaining. This is because their interpretation of the flourishing life does not align with reality. Many do not know, want to believe, or understand that a relationship with the one, true living God is integral to their flourishing as human beings. The best way to explain the flourishing life is by expounding on the Hebrew word “shalom”. Shalom means peace and it originates from a root signifying wholeness and completion. It is the deep longing for the best of another. Shalom is the way God intended things to be, so the flourishing life involves shalom. As God’s beloved creation, every human being has intrinsic value.

We are all image bearers of our Creator.

From the very beginning, God created us in His image and poured His love into us. Yet, as a result of the fall, we have disregarded who we are in Christ.

Humans have been marred and have forgotten this intrinsic value that comes from being made in God’s image. Evidence of this is how some people are dehumanizing others through human trafficking. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery where human beings are controlled and oppressed for profit. Offenders often use force or deceptive coercion to ascertain power over their victims. Even though human trafficking is defilement to both national and international laws, it remains a booming criminal industry.

According to the International Labour Organization, this disturbing business typically generates about $150 billion profits per year. Sexual exploitation and forced labor are the two most commonly known forms of human trafficking. Sex trafficking is a profitable sex act that occurs by use of force, fraud, or oppression; including the sexual exploitation of minors. Women and young girls make up a shocking 55% of victims of sex trafficking and a one in five are under 18 years old. Forced labor is any instance in which the victim is forced to work because of a threat of punishment with little to no pay.

One of the most disturbing facts is that both of these instances occur in plain sight. Many victims in the United States are underage girls who have a poor home life, run away, and eventually become involved with prostitution. After years of existing in the negative environment of prostitution and drugs, the girl’s self-worth is systematically broken down to the point of non-existence. Some victims do not even understand that they are being trafficked. They are deceived into believing they will get a better, brighter future if they stay in captivity. But these are all lies; instead of providing a refuge, their pimp takes their profit and threatens to kill them if they try to escape, leaving them no option but to stay in the life of trepidation and agony.

In fact, according to the International Labor Organization and the End It movement, there are about 48 million people worldwide who are victims of human trafficking. Of these people, 68% of the individuals are exploited in private labor, 10% for state work and 22% for sex trafficking.

This problem continues to grow and, because of the hidden nature of the issue, it is hard to get an exact number of the victims.

The Christian community in America should be fighting on the front line against human trafficking because it is directly opposed to the way God intended life to be. For the souls who are trapped in this filth, the opportunity to have a flourishing life is ripped from their hands, along with their identity, decency and opportunity to live a normal life.

Human trafficking violates fundamental human rights; every human being is an image bearer of their creator and deserves to be treated as such. The fall has taken this from us and has caused others to negate human worth, but that does not contravene the truth that human beings are image bearers and have intrinsic value. The victims who are trapped in this wheel of injustice have no voice, identity, or hope.

The Bible specifically instructs Christians to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves in Proverbs 31:8-9. It is our job to defend those who have no rights, speak for those with no voice, free those in bondage, and stand up for those who cannot stand on their own.

Human trafficking is a very dark, universal issue that sometimes may feel almost impossible to change. Luckily we serve a God who specializes in the impossible. Whatever efforts made to bring about a change in this issue will bring glory to Him. I steadfastly believe that the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness in the beginning of time has the power to shine light on this horrific darkness today.

"You may choose to look the other way but you can never again say that you did not know."— William Wilberforce

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Works cited:

Geoffrey Rodgers, “THE PROBLEM.” US Institute Against Human Trafficking , October, 2005/April 26, 2017, http://usiaht.org/the-problem/

Guy Ryder, “Statistics and Databases.” International Labour Organization , 1996, April 27, 2017, http://www.ilo.org/global/statistics-and-databases...

Geoffrey Rodgers, “What is Sex Trafficking?”U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking , October, 2005/ April 26, 2017, http://usiaht.org

Samantha Ferrell, “End It Movement.” Choice Ministries , August 2016/ April 24, 2017, https://enditmovement.com/index.html

Cazzie Reyes, “Forced Labor.” End Slavery Now, April 19 2015/April 24, 2017, http://www.endslaverynow.org/learn/slavery-today/f...