The challenge of Christ

As I read this op-ed in today's NY Times, I'm reminded of the temptation we have (especially in government) to wipe out or punish away societal problems when we could also be intervening early on.

This article specifically addresses Georgia's problem with child prostitution and warns against the temptation to continually escalate the punishment for those who violate the law. (Apparently GA has some of the toughest penalties on the issue.)

First, the editorial calls for increasing outreach and education programs to spot potential recruits into prostitution and to get current practicioners out of that lifestyle voluntarily. This strategy is so often missed because of the time, patience and care involved. It certainly isn't cost or time-effective to really listen to youth in our community, but it is what we are challenged with.

The article also mentions a mayor's brilliantly creative turn with regards to the solicitors:

"The men who drive the sex trade by patronizing prostitutes rarely figure into
discussions of the problem. Shirley Franklin, the mayor of Atlanta, has changed
that through advertisements underscoring the damage that these men do to their
communities."

Many solicitors are able to relinquish their culpability as they erode the self of another human being. As advertisements point out what the emotional and financial impact of their actions are, hopefully the temptation is tempered.

I have long believed that we are simultaneously challenged and gifted with the societal ability to treat a problem long before we see the disease. The most apparent course of action is to punish or limit destructive behaviors (and certainly there is merit in that), but the action should not stop there.

At the risk of drawing ire, I see this punishment/lack of treatment problem especially with the abortion debate. I sincerely believe that most people regret having to make that final decision, but are so helpless or restricted that they cannot see a way around it. As with the GA law, when we move to outlaw the practice altogether, we miss intervening in all the steps leading up to that act. We also miss the opportunity to restore a spirit, and instead condemn it.

If as a people, as a church, we reach out to our community before these potentially avoidable situations occur, we might negate the necessity to outlaw something we find troubling. If we identify groups of young women who aren't practicing safe sex or are lonely, depressed, in need of attention, could it not be an opportunity to befriend, listen, counsel and mentor before the choice is made?

I do believe that our lives face a difficult choice. Will we be receptive to the needs in the people around us, or will we find ourselves drifting into self-absoption? It is not an easy choice, but as more of us make it, the burden is shared and the world can become better.