UNCOMMEN: TraffickedSample

Age of Exposure

James 1:14-15 states that each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.

The average age the first time a person is exposed to pornography is 12 years old. Shocked? I know I was, but then I wasn't. I was a child of the 80s, and when I think back to movies, music, and culture, it made sense that sex was indeed all over.

What I didn't realize growing up was the link from the porn industry to sex trafficking. Sex trafficking is officially defined as a "modern-day form of slavery in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act is under the age of 18 years."

Statistic: In one survey, 63 percent of underage sex trafficking victims said they had been advertised or sold online. (Thorn)

I doubt any of us think of these things when tempted by pornography, but rather simply self-gratification. Some even try to justify their participation in attempting to discredit any study or statistic provided. It boils down to the fact that we don't want to be told we are sinning.

From Desire to Death

Our scripture verse tells us our desire gives birth to sin and when sin is fully grown it brings forth death. 

James gives us a sobering view of desire that leads to sin, and the Bible further tells us the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) 

Suggestions: 

• Understand what we are taking part in before we take part in it the next time. 
• Don't try to justify it, don't try to hide it, and don't try to fix this yourself. 
• The next time you and I are tempted, say out loud, "I'm about to sin by doing this." 
• This may make us pause and rethink the action we are about to take part in. 

Uncommen questions:

• When was the first time you were exposed to pornography?
• Were you aware of the staggering statistics around this industry that is right beneath our noses?

Uncommen challenge:

I challenge both you and me to become more aware of this industry and how it reaches into many areas of our lives.

Scripture reference: James 1:14-15