WHAT IS A PRISON INMATE?
1. A kid who had a mother and a father, went to school, played baseball down the street, and who laughed and played
2. That same kid had hopes and dreams, had heroes, and who deep down wanted to have that certain job and future
3. Life happens – this little child saw unfortunate things, lived in a violent family, never really got adequate parental attention, seldom saw love in the family. lived in some fear or instability most of the time
SO FAR – IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED ABOVE AND ME (POSSIBLY YOU)?
4. Eventually, that little kid grew into a bigger kid looking for meaning in life; he/she needed approval and support, someone to belong to. Many kids looked to the streets; many times, bad choices were made out in those streets; bad choices are easier to make when your substitute family (your group outside the home) is doing it together. (This is what a kid does).
5. Now, this teenager becomes distant from the family and closely attached to the substitute family. He/she gets in too deep; crime happens (possibly a terrible thing) and the consequences bring them down.
6. THIS KID COULD BE MY FRIEND, MY BASEBALL BUDDY, A CHURCH MEMBER. LET ME SAY – IT COULD BE ME.
But, wait a minute! What about the person who did not act out in the streets; who did not live a life of crime, who did not spend time in a juvenile facility? (Like I could have been)
1. I could not talk to my parents about my life.
2. I did not like myself.
3. I spent too much time alone and got addicted to things.
4. I never heard “I love you”.
5. I did things I shouldn’t have & I had more and more secrets to hide from others.
6. I became angrier and angrier inside myself.
7. I hurt other people with my hands & with my mouth to prove that I was important and more powerful.
8. I pushed people away unless I needed them.
9. One day, it all exploded; something bad happened; I was arrested.
No, I never was arrested and I never went to prison; but, with the anger and unrest inside me, I was just a step away from prison. Maybe you too? You just never got caught?
Despite the circumstances of these men and women, we love them. Though most are deserving of serving their time, we still love them.
WHAT IS A PRISON INMATE?
A person I can teach, pray with, visit, laugh with, hug, and cry with.
A person who can, through the mistakes, build character to honor God.