Yesterday, I received a letter from a close friend in Los Angeles...
...who told me he had been able to go into the infamous Terminal Island prison. He was so happy to share with the prisoners in that facility the good news, that Jesus Christ loves them. In addition, he had official permission to share his poetry with them.
He then told me that the chaplain had escorted him into the lock-down unit to minister and pray with the men who have serious problems. Some have been there so very long and have no hope of release from this special confinement for many more years. I guess the best way to describe this kind of setting is a "prison within a prison." But even in the darkest of places, God has those who proclaim His love, and faithfully hold out the Word of hope.
However, my friend also shared his disappointment over the fact that it was very hard to get many of these men to open up to him. After I prayed about the situation, I wrote back to encourage him by explaining that this attitude is quite normal in a prison environment. I told him to keep praying about it, because God can soften any heart. I also explained that, as a general rule, prison inmates are very cautious and guarded people. They have a fear of outsiders, and it takes time to earn their trust.
As I was writing my letter, the Lord spoke these words to my heart: In prison there are many walls. I stopped for a few minutes to think about this, and then I realized how true it is. I had never quite seen it this way until the Holy Spirit gave me some clarity.
In prison there truly are many walls. Most people think the only walls are those big ones made of concrete that surround the perimeters of many facilities to keep the inmates inside and the public safe. However, as I began to think about what the Lord had told me, I realized that in every prison there may be hundreds of walls that cannot be seen with the naked eye, yet they are just as real as the concrete walls that encircle the prisons.
Some of these walls are the walls of anger, hatred, unforgiveness, bitterness, prejudice, racism, indifference, pride, and suspicion. Fear, of course, is one of the most common walls, and it can be broken down into many smaller walls: fear of assault, fear of change, fear of revealing one's true self, even fear of success. Fear of success is a hard one to imagine, but there are many people who have failed so often that they've grown accustomed to and feel very comfortable with failure. Success, and the responsibility that could go with it actually scares them.
Then there are the walls of myriad different sins. There are lusts and desires that many prisoners do not want to give up, and these walls keep God's Word from entering into their lives. These walls surround their hearts and minds to keep them in spiritual and mental darkness, which is why it is such a challenge for anyone to minister in such a place. But as Jesus said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27).
As I completed the writing of my letter, I reminded my friend of this scripture and encouraged him to stay faithful to his call. I also asked him to continue to show kindness, love, and compassion, and assured him that in time he will earn the inmates' trust and respect.
Finally, I reminded him that the God who called him will also equip him for this ministry, and he will prosper.
D.B.
He then told me that the chaplain had escorted him into the lock-down unit to minister and pray with the men who have serious problems. Some have been there so very long and have no hope of release from this special confinement for many more years. I guess the best way to describe this kind of setting is a "prison within a prison." But even in the darkest of places, God has those who proclaim His love, and faithfully hold out the Word of hope.
However, my friend also shared his disappointment over the fact that it was very hard to get many of these men to open up to him. After I prayed about the situation, I wrote back to encourage him by explaining that this attitude is quite normal in a prison environment. I told him to keep praying about it, because God can soften any heart. I also explained that, as a general rule, prison inmates are very cautious and guarded people. They have a fear of outsiders, and it takes time to earn their trust.
As I was writing my letter, the Lord spoke these words to my heart: In prison there are many walls. I stopped for a few minutes to think about this, and then I realized how true it is. I had never quite seen it this way until the Holy Spirit gave me some clarity.
In prison there truly are many walls. Most people think the only walls are those big ones made of concrete that surround the perimeters of many facilities to keep the inmates inside and the public safe. However, as I began to think about what the Lord had told me, I realized that in every prison there may be hundreds of walls that cannot be seen with the naked eye, yet they are just as real as the concrete walls that encircle the prisons.
Some of these walls are the walls of anger, hatred, unforgiveness, bitterness, prejudice, racism, indifference, pride, and suspicion. Fear, of course, is one of the most common walls, and it can be broken down into many smaller walls: fear of assault, fear of change, fear of revealing one's true self, even fear of success. Fear of success is a hard one to imagine, but there are many people who have failed so often that they've grown accustomed to and feel very comfortable with failure. Success, and the responsibility that could go with it actually scares them.
Then there are the walls of myriad different sins. There are lusts and desires that many prisoners do not want to give up, and these walls keep God's Word from entering into their lives. These walls surround their hearts and minds to keep them in spiritual and mental darkness, which is why it is such a challenge for anyone to minister in such a place. But as Jesus said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27).
As I completed the writing of my letter, I reminded my friend of this scripture and encouraged him to stay faithful to his call. I also asked him to continue to show kindness, love, and compassion, and assured him that in time he will earn the inmates' trust and respect.
Finally, I reminded him that the God who called him will also equip him for this ministry, and he will prosper.
D.B.