God, Where Do You Want Me to Serve?
Last year, I prayed over where God wanted me to plug in & serve at our church. I remember the wise words of a former Sunday morning class teacher, who said that it’s sometimes a good idea to serve somewhere completely out of your comfort zone, because it forces you to rely on God’s leading & help instead of your own confidence, comfort, &/or expertise. Stretch your faith a little.
So, I try to make a habit of praying where God wants me to serve instead of only focusing on those things I love to do—ie. leading ladies’ Bible studies, accountability, discipleship & such.
Well, God’s answer came as a little bit of surprise to me—PRISON MINISTRY.
How WilI Relate to Them?
I know that the Bible talks about remembering prisoners as if in chains with them. (Hebrews 13:3) (Which is a verse our guest speaker at church this morning actually referenced!) And, while I believe this specific verse is maybe referencing fellow Christians who may have been imprisoned for their faith… I think the Bible makes it clear enough throughout that we’re supposed to be generous in our love toward others, even those we feel may not deserve it.
But to me, it seemed a little intimidating as the “unknowns” of going into a prison were daunting.
How could I possibly relate to them? How would I know what to say? What if they asked something I didn’t know how to answer? Was it scary there? Would I be in danger?
I think especially as a woman, we’re often taught a sometimes more than healthy fear of danger from childhood—”Keep a key between 2 fingers in case someone tries to attack,” “Check the back seat before getting in your car,” “Pretend you’re on the phone if you think someone is creeping on you….” “Don’t talk to strangers.” You get the idea.
Without much consideration, I developed a fear of people different than me… especially if they were of the criminal variety.
Would I Have Done Differently?
But, one Sunday, the story of the “good Samaritan” was presented (Luke 10:25-37), & in the mentioning of the religious person moving to the other side of the road upon seeing the bloodied & beaten-up man on the side of the road who had been robbed & left for dead… I couldn’t say I would react any differently. See danger… avoid danger.
But that man was left for dead. He needed HELP. He needed someone to have the courage-through-their-fear to see him & help him.
And I probably would not have. “Don’t talk to strangers.” “What if the robbers are nearby still?” “What if this man was the attacker who got “what he deserved” & would come for me if I tried to help him?”
But then, that Samaritan man, a man whose culture screamed to avoid those of the beaten man’s culture, crossed the cultural barrier taboo & just saw a man hurting & in need of HELP. So, he HELPED.
An “us versus them” scenario & instead that generous & kind man looked past all that to seeing someone just needing HELP... so he HELPED.
Only One Thing Separates Us… Only One… & His Name Is JESUS
And back to prison ministry… “us versus them”? Criminals versus non-criminals? Stay away from “those” people?
But what is it that separates us from “those” people? Me from “them”?
Jesus.
That’s it. Jesus. That is the only thing separating us.
I heard from a pastor years ago that without Jesus, we are all just as prone to the worst of sins as anyone else.
Think of so many of the revered men of the Bible with many wives, disobeying God’s one-man, one-woman command. Think of David not only sleeping with another man’s wife, but ALSO having her husband killed when the man was too honorable to sleep with his wife while his comrades were still on the battlefield… aka David’s planned coverup scheme failed (2 Samuel 11-12). Think of Rebecca tricking her husband so her preferred son could get his father’s family blessing instead of his brother (Genesis 27). Think of Paul not giving John Mark another chance when Barnabas suggested it, even though it was because of Barnabas’ suggestion that gave PAUL a second chance (Acts 15:37-39; Acts 9:26-27).
We are ALL just as prone to wander, to sin, to think we can do it our way or find a loophole or justify it… to be “them.” Because, when we take our eyes off Jesus, we are just as human as “they” are.
There is no us versus them. We are all sinful flesh in need of our Savior—Jesus Christ.
We’re All Just People in Need of Jesus
And God was convicting my heart of this illusion I had developed. He was calling me to see them as just as much people as anyone else–people in need of Jesus.
So, I joined prison ministry. I’ve been doing it for a little over a year now. And I’m glad I did.
Are there some ladies who join us that seem to maybe consider it their penance to somehow just alleviate their guilt? Sure.
Are there some ladies who might think as long as they say “sorry,” they’re “all good”? Yes, probably.
But are there some who seem to GET it? Who come & soak it up? Who cry because they relate to the song of brokenness we may sing, lifting up that there is hope when we come to Jesus? Who have accepted & believed on Jesus & are now using their sentence to draw closer to Him, as if in incubation before release, trying to learn as much as they can & sharing it with their families when they get visits? YES.
God is at WORK.
And I am not saying I can judge each heart rightly, & it’s not my job to do so. My job is to be faithful to the task, to seek to honor & please God… to sow the seeds & let God handle the rest.
Where Can God Stretch You?
Where can you get involved that feels out of YOUR comfort zone… an area God can use to stretch your faith, to draw ever nearer to Him & lean further away from reliance on yourself?
Maybe prison ministry? Nursing homes to read poetry or Scripture or play board games? Visitation at hospitals to paint nails or bring balloons or something to bring cheer? Writing a prayer for a widow & sending it to her? Baby-sitting for a young couple or single mom?
Where can you show the love of Jesus to someone hurting for it? Hurting for hope….
Each Thursday, I join a group of college girls & several other adult women & we sign in, walk to the gate, are let in, have our stuff inspected with a simple pat-down, assembly-line hug each of the ladies who show up greeting them with a smile & a “hello, thank you for coming, so good to see you,” have someone pray, sing some worship songs, & then someone leads us in a lesson—we sometimes end it by breaking up into small groups & praying together.
It’s not as intimidating as it feels at first. And God supplies where it is.
Spiritual Warfare & How God Helps Us March Onward
And, I would like to also add that doing prison ministry & breaking the “us versus them” barrier WILL bring spiritual warfare. I spent my first maybe SIX MONTHS feeling extremely tired, stressed, &/or just an overall “I just want to go home & be in pjs—I don’t WANT to GO…!” But would always go anyway & never ONCE regretted it.
Then… I started being proactive in praying for my will to change & for resistance to lessen… & repenting of my bad attitude… & God helped with just that! Now I hardly ever feel resistance to going. It’s always a blessing.
God is at WORK.
Us Vs. Them? What I’ve Learned in Prison Ministry
So, I ask again—where can you serve… even including those areas you don’t think you would at all be good at or enjoy? Letting GOD pick….
Shine HOPE by erasing the “us versus them” mentality, seeing everyone different from us as a fellow person whom Jesus died to save… as a person who needs Jesus just as much as you do.
And please… remember to pray for me, as I have the honor of leading the lessons at prison ministry over the next couple coming months–& we will be covering the topic of God’s character trait of JUSTICE–Right words, open hearts, lives changed for God’s glory. Amen!
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