The Power of Voice

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to live without a voice?

As 2024 rumbles to a close, and this Year of Election draws nearer to the end, I’ve been reflecting on the word voice.

Have you ever wondered how many people in the world live without a voice? Not in the literal sense, but in the deeper sense—how many people move through life without any real say? For them, life just happens.

Decisions are made around them or for them, and they are left to endure the outcomes. Their dreams, opinions, and needs remain unheard, buried beneath systems, expectations, or circumstances that deny them the chance to be seen or known.

Statistics reveal that millions of people across the world live without a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their lives, with marginalized communities facing systemic barriers to political participation, economic opportunity, and social inclusion. In my opinion, to live not having a say in your life equals existing more than it looks like living.

How many times has someone claimed to be doing something for you without asking you for your input on what their decisions were doing to you? They are doing something to you while claiming they are doing something for you.

According to research done by the United Nations, more than one billion people live in multidimensional poverty, facing overlapping deprivations in areas like education, healthcare, and living standards. Indigenous people, for example, make up only 5% of the global population but account for 15% of the world’s poor. Many marginalized groups—including women, people with disabilities, rural dwellers, migrants, and refugees—experience exclusion that limits their ability to participate in decisions that affect their lives (UNDP Press Release, October 17, 2024).

“The function of freedom is to free someone else.”

Toni Morrison

Author Toni Morrison’s quote reminds us that freedom isn’t simply about personal liberation—it’s about using that freedom to uplift others.

To have a voice is to be human.

Women’s lack of autonomy is particularly striking: in 18 countries, married women require their husband’s consent to work. In many parts of the world, legal and social norms continue to restrict a woman’s ability to engage in economic and political processes independently. 

Regardless of your financial health, being unheard is one of the gravest forms of poverty—spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally.

Why do so many people lack a voice in how they live their own lives?

Jesus actively dignified those living on the outskirts of society—prostitutes (Luke 7:36–50), tax collectors (Luke 19:1–10), the sick (Mark 1:40–45), and the poor. Jesus ate with them, healed them, and restored their voices and value in a society that excluded them. As Christians, shouldn’t we seek to do the same?

There’s something profoundly human about being heard. It’s not just about speaking words; it’s about feeling like you matter—like your story, your thoughts, your experiences contribute to the world in a way that can’t be ignored. To have a voice is to claim space in this world, to say, “I am here, and I have something to offer.”

But not everyone gets that chance. In my work, I’ve seen firsthand how marginalized people—especially those experiencing homelessness—often go unheard. They are reduced to a problem to be managed, not people to be known. And it isn’t just them. Around the world, countless individuals live in silence, whether from fear, oppression, or a simple lack of opportunity.

American journalism once served as a haven for giving people a voice. I don’t know if that’s still true in our current politically saturated, non-bipartisan, agenda infused media.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3 NIV

The more I think about it, the more I believe that everyone deserves to have a say. Everyone’s voice matters.

I witnessed this first hand when my father died. After years of being his caregiver, my mom flourished once my dad passed. She found her voice. She finally had a say about how she spent her time and lived her days. Seeing her thrive and blossom into our social butterfly has been exhilarating. Watching my mom’s transformation reminded me that sometimes, the ability to speak up isn’t just given—it’s fought for, and it’s deeply tied to our sense of identity and freedom.

I believe 2025 will be a year of exploring what it means to amplify voices—both others’ and my own. It’s easy to silence ourselves too, isn’t it? We can hold back what we want to say, unsure if it will be welcome or understood. But finding our voice is just as crucial as giving others theirs.

So, how do we begin? Maybe it starts with listening—really listening—without the need to respond, fix, or judge. Maybe it’s in creating spaces where stories can be told and truth can surface. Maybe it’s in giving ourselves permission to say what needs to be said, even when it feels risky.

“If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.”

Zora Neale Hurston

If life is a conversation, then everyone deserves a seat at the table. A voice isn’t a luxury—it’s a right. And in a world that often favors the loudest, we have a responsibility to amplify the quiet, the overlooked, and the ignored. Silence perpetuates oppression.

As I step into the coming year, my hope is that I can embody this word—Voice—in both my personal life and my work. Whether through art, conversation, or action, I want to create space for others to speak and for myself to speak truthfully. Everyone’s voice matters, including yours.

If life is a conversation, then everyone deserves a seat at the table.

Rainer Bantau

What do you need to say that’s been left unspoken? And how might you help someone else find the courage to share theirs?

You and I live in a land that gives us the right to be heard. In America, we have a voice. We can exercise that voice by voting. So let me encourage you: GO VOTE! Otherwise, the only voice you are silencing is yours.

Friend, let me leave you with this: What will you say in 2025? And whose voice will you help amplify?

See you in the comments!

Until our next conversation…

Remember:

God is good. All the time. 

No matter what.

Know you are loved.

Praying for you. Praying for America.

Let us pray for those among us who are serving in political office. May the Lord bless them with wisdom, discernment, and knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Don’t worry about what’s next. Enjoy what’s now. 

Love, peace, and joy,

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

#JesusStrong