Day 32 - Lent 2026

SPEAK UP AND TAKE ACTION!

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8–9 (NIV)

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this charge was given to King Lemuel by his mother—but it is also God’s charge to us today. My heart is heavy because everywhere we look, people are being taken advantage of. People who have no voice. People who are powerless. And too often… the world stays silent.

As followers of Christ, what is our role?

Do we just sit in church, sing Hallelujah, and read our Bibles?

No. That is not enough.

Empathy is not enough.

Feeling bad is not enough.

Silence is definitely not enough.

Proverbs 31 tells us plainly: Speak up. Stand up. Defend.

When we stay silent, we unintentionally add to someone’s suffering. God’s Word pushes us past our comfort zones, past our affiliations, past our excuses. It calls us to advocate for the poor, the needy, the powerless, the overlooked, the mistreated, and the forgotten.

Jesus Himself took action. He defended the poor, the widows, the orphans.

He confronted injustice. He never said, “Someone else will handle it.” He became their voice.

So if we want to help those who cannot speak for themselves, we must first listen. Listen so we can seek God for what to say and how to say it. Listen so we can understand the pain of “the least of these.”

Then we must pray—and sometimes even fast. We need to ask God to remove our apathy, our insensitivity, our comfort, our ignorance.

We need to ask Him, “Lord, how can You use me as Your agent of love, justice, mercy, and grace in this moment in history?”

Because my brothers and siters, we cannot advocate without preparation. We cannot speak up without spiritual grounding. We cannot take action without God’s direction.

But once we seek Him—once we hear Him—then we must move.

We must do what is fair and just.

We must be compassionate and sincere in love.

And we must remember: our neighbor is anyone in need.

Let us pray:

Father God, we thank You for Your Word—Your Word that stirs our hearts and calls us to speak up, take action, and defend those who cannot defend themselves. Lord, help us step out of our comfort zones. Make us bold. Make us compassionate. Make us Your voice for justice.

We pray for leaders in this country—that they will seek You and understand their responsibility to protect the powerless and the oppressed. And we pray that we, Your followers, will rise up with courage, with love, and with conviction to stand for the poor, the needy, the destitute and the voiceless.

In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

SUBMITTED BY ELDER ELAINE HINDS