Who Are The Oppressed?

February 6, 2008
SWK254.N – Understanding Diverse Populations
Professor Mayra Lopez-Humphreys
Journal 3


Who is identified as the oppressed?
The oppressed are identified as the poor and the afflicted. They are the under-privileged. They are the ones whom society overlooks and considers unimportant. They are the ones whose family and friends have turned their backs on them. They are the outcast. They are the ones who are abused and often taken advantage of. They are defenseless because they lack the support needed to fight and win. They are the ones who suffer from severe low self-esteem, and are voted as the least likely to succeed.
The oppressed that are employed, usually work to benefit others and not themselves. Welfare and unemployment offices, and homeless shelters are filled with the oppressed, because they lack work experience, education and opportunities. They are not advantaged to learn of job opportunities, free education, and other resources that could possibly help them to improve their lives. If and whenever they do, they are probably intimidated and confused by the complexity of the inquisition of the applications. Hence, the interviewee perceives the applicant as ignorant and unqualified.
The oppressed are those who learn crime as a means of survival. Some of them are violent, because violence is the only way that they know how to demonstrate some level of power and maintain control over their lives. They are alcohol and substance abusers, because it helps to keep their minds numb, so that they don’t have to think, face and deal with their sorrows, pain and suffering.
As stated in the aforementioned, the oppressed unfortunately are those who must rely upon others to care for them. The reason is that they lack the ability to care for themselves.
How does God feel about oppression?
In the Old Testament, God used oppression to bring the Israelites to a place of repentance for their sins and to draw them back to Him. It was not gratifying for God to see His people suffer. However, it seems to have been the only way that He could get their attention to remind them of His expectations that they were to be a holy people, just as He is a holy God. God told Moses that He had only been revealed to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty. However, He was going to reveal Himself to Moses and the Israelites as LORD, because He (the LORD) was going to deliver His people out of bondage (slavery) from the Egyptians. He was going to set the captive free.
Oppression is not pleasing to GOD because it represents slavery. Which is the reason that He provided a way to set the oppressed free. Anything that is pleasing to God has no need of change. However, in His displeasures He always provides the necessary changes.
What does God call us to do about it?
GOD calls His people to help the oppressed to set them free. Christians are not to ignore or judge them, but rather to be His vessels in the earth that take notice to their needs and do all that we can to assist them. We are to protect them and counsel them. We are to comfort, feed and clothe them.
GOD reveals Himself today as LORD to the oppressed through His children. He teaches, equips and empowers His children to go into all the world to help set the captive free. He demonstrated this ability through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who came into the world and set us free. He loved us unconditionally and broke the chains that had us bound. And so we are to do the same for our brothers and sisters who are held in bondage. Most importantly, we are to love them with the love of the LORD and everything else will come naturally.

Percelene MCLain