Lessons from Literature: The Grace of a Gradual Reveal (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)

Sometimes when reading a good story, a single sentence will stand out and cause your thoughts to wander to other things. Such was the case recently as I was reading a Sherlock Holmes tale called “The Engineer’s Thumb” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In introducing the case, the narrator and Holmes’s friend, Dr. Watson, makes this statement:

The story has, I believe, been told more than once in the newspapers, but, like all such narratives, its effect is much less striking when set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the facts slowly evolve before your own eyes and the mystery clears gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads on to the complete truth (Doyle, 213).

The resonance of this statement not only provides a good example of how fiction can be just as much a vehicle for truth as nonfiction can be but also leads us to consider how it might reflect an even deeper idea regarding the way in which the greatest Storyteller operates in relation to us. Essentially, Doyle (through Watson) is pointing out that a story’s end makes more of an impression when it is not revealed until—well, the end. Furthermore, he suggests that the details of the story are essential to a full understanding of it as a whole.

We intuitively know this, as is evidenced by our general dislike of spoilers and our (especially women’s, it seems) propensity to want to tell every part of a story instead of just “the bottom line.” We admire storytellers who masterfully lay out more and more pieces of information throughout the telling instead of hitting us with everything at the beginning. Even those stories that start in the present and then flash back to tell the backstory illustrate the importance of the preliminary details to our understanding of the story’s conclusion. Think of the excitement you get from books or films that cause you say, “Wow, I didn’t see that coming!” or “Oh, so that’s what that line meant! I get it now!” This all illustrates that we appreciate storytellers who gradually reveal.

So why don’t we appreciate that about God?

When it comes to the story of our lives, we encounter a myriad of plot twists and a lot of seemingly mundane occurrences. Sometimes we wish we could jump to the end and see how it all turns out. We know that God knows how this curveball or that confusion, these disappointments or those delights, fit into the narrative of our story, but sometimes we wish He would share what our life looks like from His point of view. Sometimes we wish the Storyteller would reveal not gradually but all at once. And now.

But when we think about our lives as a story that’s being written, we begin to see the gradual reveal of events’ relevance as an evidence of the mercifulness and graciousness of God. God is merciful in not preemptively showing us how all the pieces of our story fit together, because frankly we wouldn’t be able to handle it. I can look back on my life now and see that certain sorrows were not nearly as unbearable when they came because of previous sorrows that God had used to grow and strengthen me in different ways. But if I knew at the point of those previous struggles that part of their purpose was to prepare me for other hard things? Let’s just say I would not have appreciated it.

But because of God’s gradual revealing of that purpose, not only am I able to draw strength from it instead of being drained or crushed by it, but also I am able to marvel at God’s magnificent plan and praise Him for His wisdom. And that’s where we see His grace.

We don’t deserve anything from God but judgment, and we certainly don’t deserve answers to our questions regarding the exact reasons for everything that happens in our lives. But God in His kindness chooses to give us glimpses every now and then that we don’t deserve, glimpses of how He is working in our lives through the circumstances and relationships that make up our story. He allows us to see that it was because we went through that trial, that we were then able to face this loss. It was because I met this person that I got involved with this group and then met this person, who changed the entire direction of my life.

In helping us see these things over the course of time, God graciously invites us to look upon the magnificence of His character. He draws us into deeper relationship with Himself as we come to love and appreciate Him more for Who He is—the all-wise, all-knowing, Supreme Storyteller. And one day, when we followers of Christ come before His presence for all eternity, I have a feeling that the conclusion of the story of our time-bound life will be all the sweeter and richer for our having lived through the gradual reveal of details that led our story Home.

PC: Pamela Hollis. Used with Permission.

 

Source: Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. “The Engineer’s Thumb.” In The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 213-237. New York: Scholastic, 2003. 

Fighting Modern Slavery: A Conversation with Annie Fain

July 30 was World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, so today on the blog, I’d like to invite you into a conversation about this heavy yet important issue with a dear friend of mine who works on the front lines. Annie Fain is the Partnership Coordinator and A Way Out Program Assistant at A Way Out Ministries in Memphis, Tennessee, an organization whose mission is “to assist any woman desiring to permanently leave sex trafficking.” For more information, see https://www.awoministries.org/.

I first met Annie through church when I was in high school, and despite our age difference, we became friends through several shared experiences and creative projects, the most significant of which involved playing on-screen sisters. Annie’s kind and compassionate heart and love for the Lord and His Word are characteristics of her life, and it’s been a joy to see her grow into a passionate woman of God. I’m thankful to be able to share her insight with you.

Olivia: What is one thing you think people should know about the realities of human trafficking?

 

Annie: I think the most foundational thing people should know is that trafficking is real, it is growing, and it happens near your home. Trafficking is a strategic system of organized crime that’s ultimate goal is to profit from the inhumane treatment of men, women, and children.

 

The methodology of trafficking is built on isolating and exploiting the most vulnerable people. Many different types of vulnerabilities often intersect in an individual’s life and prime them to be manipulated or coerced by a trafficker. The most common narrative is one of individuals being first trafficked at the hands of someone they know, not abducted by a stranger. Some of the vulnerabilities traffickers look for include: generational poverty, habitual childhood abuse, habitual sexual abuse, time in foster care, racial and social oppression, homelessness, being a single parent, mental illness, lack of education, lack of workforce opportunities, and generally the presence of any outstanding socioeconomic disparities.

Vulnerability answers the question of “How did this person fall prey to exploitation?” and if this is true, then for concerned citizens that means that addressing and diminishing any of these factors in an individual’s life can help prevent them from falling into cycles of exploitation.

 

But that still leaves us with the question “Why is trafficking so prevalent and increasing?” The only answer is demand. Labor trafficking is thriving because there is a demand for products instantaneously, and sex trafficking is thriving because there are sex buyers who purchase (predominantly) women and girls. The most important issue that needs to be addressed on the local, state, and federal levels regarding policy reform on human trafficking is combatting the demand.

 

Olivia: How did you get involved in anti-trafficking work?

 

Annie: I got involved due to an answered prayer. I first heard of the issue of trafficking while still in high school through Passion Conference’s awareness initiative called End It Movement. Even then the issue stirred my heart and burdened me, but I left unsure of anything tangible I could do to fight it. I went on with life and worked in other industries for a few years, ultimately knowing that I wasn’t where I wanted to be long term. I had prayed years prior that the Lord would give me a cause to champion that mattered to Him, and I resumed that prayer, adding that God would allow me to work somewhere that I could talk about Him openly and the work of my hands would matter into eternity. It was shortly after that I met a girl at a Christmas party who told me that she did anti-trafficking work, and I told her I wanted to volunteer. Two weeks later she said she was stepping down from her position, and I told her I wanted it. I interviewed, and God gave me the job – with no certifications, job experience, or educational training for this field. That’s when you know it’s God.

 

Olivia: Trafficking is a heavy reality. What keeps you going in your ministry?

 

Annie: Someone once told me to find where my greatest passion and greatest burden collide, and to champion that issue. For me, that cause is trafficking, and more specifically sex trafficking.

The greatest thing I can do to continue in ministry to victims of sex trafficking is to remove myself from the role of rescuer. I think a great deal of well-meaning people get involved with this work because they are intoxicated on the idea of getting to rescue people. It is beautiful to want to set people free, but we have entirely misconstrued our role if we view success as how many women we have ripped out of a pimp’s arms. Often, our role as advocates is simply to love survivors with no agenda. For women exiting commercial sexual exploitation, it takes an average of 7 attempts for her to finally, permanently be ready to reintegrate into society.

 

I think for anyone endeavoring to do this work, it takes an impassioned understanding of the justice heart of God. I have seen justice sought against traffickers where the trafficker walked free. Knowing that God will administer perfect justice on behalf of survivors is liberating.  

 

I have to keep in mind who my enemy is—it would be easy, especially when we are talking about demand, sex buyers, traffickers, rapists, and madams, to point a finger and cite them as the source of evil. But at the end of the day, while we want stricter punishment for evil acts and want true justice for victims, the sex buyer, trafficker, and brothel owner are not our enemy. They are acting out of a brokenness and depravity that Jesus wants to restore them from too. It is a humbling and beautiful thing to realize that the compassion of God reaches also to the sex buyer, and ultimately Satan is the one true enemy.

 

Olivia: What are some ways that others can get involved in combatting modern-day slavery?

 

Annie:

1.      Become Informed: Read, listen to podcasts, seek education on policy and reform, and most importantly give ear to survivor’s testimonies. I’ve seen many, many advocates or citizens say, “I am a voice for those who are voiceless,” which in its intention is good, but it is not necessarily true. While many who are currently in cycles of exploitation are not afforded a voice, survivors who have been rescued and are far removed from trafficking are speaking up. They have strong opinions on policy and on restoration; they voice their needs, their struggle, and their trauma—they aren’t voiceless. We would do well to offer them our ear.

2.      Sign, sign, sign:

·        There is a petition to shut down PornHub, one of the largest pornography websites in the world, due to their complicity in trafficking, rape, and incest along with a plethora of other evils and human rights violations. Sign the petition to shut PornHub down at traffickinghub.com.

·        There is a dedicated organization based in South Africa that has created a charter to support Abolitionist Equality Law in Africa through the Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution in Africa (CAPA), and you can sign the charter at embracedignity.org.za. Go to the Get Involved dropdown menu and click Sign the CAPA Charter.

·        To learn more about the Equality Model (also called the Nordic Model or Abolition Model) and sign the pledge to say you understand and support this model, go to equalitymodelus.org.

3.      Be the one. I have heard from NGO leaders, survivors, and counselors alike that oftentimes in an individual’s journey of recovery, it only takes having one person who believes in them wholeheartedly and unconditionally for them to make it. You can be that person across the table, on the other end of the phone, or in the driver’s seat on the way to their first job interview. Just be present in their life. They don’t need you to fix them or view them as a project; they need to you be present, to listen, and to believe them. Throw them a celebration when they get their HiSet (GED), help them apply to college, babysit their child one night, or pick them up for church. Be there for them and decide you aren’t going to leave, even if they sometimes have a little bit of the street left in them.

4.      Take a strong stance on the link between pornography and sex trafficking and seek or offer mentorship to those who may be struggling with this issue in an attitude that is devoid of shame and that cultivates healing.

5.      Pray this way:

·   For darkness to be exposed

·   For women, men, and children to be rescued & restored

·   For righteous justice to be executed

·   For more workers in the field

·   That the sex industry will NOT be legalized or decriminalized in the United States

·   For men who exploit women in prostitution to STOP and to find holistic physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional healing from sexual addiction

6.      Donate money, time, and in-kind donations (clothing, hygiene supplies, computers, furniture) to a safe house/recovery center near you.

 

Pro Tip: Not all organizations that claim to fight trafficking adhere to the belief that DEMAND is the root cause for trafficking, in fact some deny it. These organizations are highly visible and claim to make an impact in the war on trafficking, but without addressing demand, cycles of exploitation will never stop. Research the organizations where you donate money, time, and resources and find out their stance on DEMAND.

 

Olivia: What are some resources you would recommend for those who want to learn more?

 

Annie:

Books

Vulnerable by Raleigh Sadler
Intervention Manual by Exodus Cry
In Pursuit of Love by Rebecca Bender*
The White Umbrella by Mary Francis Bowley
Fallen by Annie Lobert*
Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd*
Free Cyntoia by Cyntoia Brown*

 

*survivor written

Documentaries

Nefarious: Merchant of Souls by Exodus Cry (full screening available on YouTube)
Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution by Exodus Cry (available on Netflix & YouTube)

For any who may be battling pornography and sexual addiction(s)

If you, the reader, have dealt with sexual addiction in any form, including but not limited to: consumption of pornography, attending and doing business at strip clubs/massage parlors, or engaging with women or children in prostitution, none of what is written today is to shame or blame you. The sole purpose is to inform you that you have encountered and furthered exploitation, and the practices of violating and consuming another person for your own gain was not only degrading to the victim, but to you as well, and there is healing for you too. I would encourage you to seek counsel, mentorship, and accountability from individuals the same gender as you who are currently in places of health and success in their walk towards pure and righteous sexuality.

Recovery resources for anyone battling sexual addition

·   Authentic Relationships International—articles, podcast, speaking events, and navigation tools for dealing with pornography addiction within relationships

·   Pure Life Ministries—sermons, podcasts, counseling, partner counseling, events, books

·   Covenant Eyes—Screen filters, support for couples, family protection, etc. 

·   Fight the New Drug—Fighter club, documentaries, etc.

·   Culture Reframed—Parenting in a hypersexualized culture

·   LizWalkerPresents.com and her Youth Wellbeing Project—Conversation tips for addressing this with youth, children’s books, and school curricula

 

Whether you are just beginning to learn about exploitation and human trafficking or whether you’ve been involved in the struggle for some time, I pray this conversation has challenged you to take a stand and encouraged you to keep up the good fight. God is a God of justice, redemption, healing, grace, and unfailing love. Whether you find yourself an advocate, a survivor, an enabler, or a perpetrator, God can meet you at your point of need and see you through.