Wednesday, April 23, 2003
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Wednesday, April 23, 2003 |
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Prisoners are just like you and me... By JOHN HATCHER There's no doubt about it, but that the women and men in uniform deserve our admiration, gratitude, and honor. The outpouring of jubilation for the returned POWs comes as representative for all troops of the United States. My tear ducts go into overdrive when I see anyone of those young soldiers backdropped by the flag of our country. But this past Sunday, my church gave an ovation for a young man who had not served in the military; a young man who had not put his life in harm's way; a young man who would not merit the outstretched arm of politician for a perfect photo opportunity. No, this man had just been released from jail! He had been put behind bars because he committed a crime. But let me make a few observations about our prison population. First, they are just like you and me. I remind my congregation once in a while that the only difference between them and those behind bars is that the most of the members of my congregation any congregation have not been caught. Then I add, "So stop what you are doing now so you won't be caught." The men and women behind bars have families just like the average, ordinary "Joe." For the most part, prisoners are good folks who exercised flawed decision-making at the wrong time. Second, most prisoners are not godless. In fact, this is what so impressed me about this young man whose Easter present was to be in church. I had visited him four times in his jail quarters. He and I kept up a thriving correspondence. He impressed me with a broad knowledge of the Word of God. In fact, his knowledge was greater than the average student entering a graduate seminary. He also impressed me in that the guards would refer vexed and discomforted prisoners to him for counsel and prayer. Third, my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, made it very clear to me to visit the prisoners. In fact, at the final judgment, Jesus said we would be judged in part whether or not we visited the prisoners: "I was in prison and you visited me not," Jesus said. The question arose, "Lord, when did we not visit you in prison?" Jesus responded, "In as much as you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me." When asked to make prison visits, I try always to respond if for no other reason, I might be visiting Jesus. People in prison don't want our pity. But the Lord himself demands that we exhibit compassion toward them. Without fail in most congregations large and small there are families with a loved one behind bars. Let us give them and their jailed loved ones our love. Let us write a letter. Let us make sure they are visited by the clergy from our own churches. Indeed, prisoners are not our heroes (with some exceptions like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), but they could be the very ones by whom we are judged in the final analysis.
John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive Fayetteville, Georgia 30215 770-719-0303 |
