The sad reality is that often certain groups of people in society have been silenced or muffled. What they have to say has been sidelined because they came from a certain place, looked a certain way, grew up in a certain culture, did a certain kind of work, or just didn’t have enough money.
Kathy Khang’s
book, Raise Your Voice, affirms that we all need insights and perspectives from every part of society and the church so we can all be whole. All have a voice, a voice shaped by our specific culture, language, ethnicity, gender, history, and circumstances. That fact and that diversity is something to celebrate because that is how God made and shaped us.
Khang begins by addressing the overt and indirect ways her voice has been hushed, sometimes by others and sometimes by her own inner struggles. She augments her own experiences with those of others while also weaving in and out of the stories of Queen Esther and of Moses.
The second half of the book includes excellent practical advice on how to speak up with friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and in public forums. She shows how to balance grace and truth in our personal relationships as well as on social media.
Here is a book for those who have not felt the freedom to voice themselves or not known how. It is also a book that should remind us that whatever voice we do gain is to be used on behalf of those who still are not heard. As Proverbs 31:8-9 tells us:
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
