I Never Realized!!!
I have been blessed in the last year to be involved with Jail ministry here in the Wichita area through a ministry at the County Jail called Christian Ministries to Offenders. It is a non-profit, God supported ministry that provides spiritual and physical support to the inmate population. I have also had the privilege of being able to counsel inmates and help lead many to the Lord. In talking and counseling so many young women (18 - 25) that are incarcerated for mainly drugs, prostitution and any number of things associated with that lifestyle, I never realized how hopeless so many young peoples lives have been.
It's not that I've lived a sheltered life, I was saved out of the drug culture myself but mine was pot and hallucinogens not crack and meth. Mine was a spiritual journey (so I thought, looking for God in all the wrong places, looking for God in too many faces), not a death wish. But I was saved before having a family (23) and raised my kids in Church and did my best to be a good father. Unfortunately I didn't realize that many of my peers never left it and there kids were raised in a god-forsaken existence of drugs, alcohol, abuse and abandonment, my generations kids are who we are dealing with and they are in terrible shape.
I can't put into words in this short space the devastation and hopelessness I see on the other side of the glass or the ones we hug and pray with on Sunday afternoons when we go inside for Church. So many want to know what it is to be loved, and cry unashamedly when faced with their sin and the pain they have lived, caused and endure all the time hearing that God still loves them and will forgive them and so do we.
If it was only that easy, but a life of addiction and abuse is hard to overcome especially when you don't take the steps necessary to overcome and find victory. Many have no where to go, they get released at 2:00 am holding their belongings, no money, no home, no hope, they find their way back to familiar surroundings and Jesus is left at the front door. The problem is there is such a great need, look in your own communities, you'll be surprised at what you find, but the Church of Jesus Christ is too busy building their next monument to God, patting each other on the back for their missions giving overseas and putting on blinders to the lost souls around them that sink away into oblivion.
I want to conclude this with the confession that it's bigger than you and me, even though my heart goes out to so many, especially the young ones who just seem to have never had a chance, but even with that I have not found it within myself to invite them into my home. Our church, which is small (approx 40 people on avg), will do whatever we can to get them to Church, provide basic needs such as food and clothing and as much financial need as wisdom and Gods leading will allow. One thing we try to keep in mind is if we are doing more then they are to try and better their life then something is wrong and caution needs to be heeded. I hope this touches some to look at the mission field close to home, the fields are definitely ready for harvest but the laborers are few.
It's not that I've lived a sheltered life, I was saved out of the drug culture myself but mine was pot and hallucinogens not crack and meth. Mine was a spiritual journey (so I thought, looking for God in all the wrong places, looking for God in too many faces), not a death wish. But I was saved before having a family (23) and raised my kids in Church and did my best to be a good father. Unfortunately I didn't realize that many of my peers never left it and there kids were raised in a god-forsaken existence of drugs, alcohol, abuse and abandonment, my generations kids are who we are dealing with and they are in terrible shape.
I can't put into words in this short space the devastation and hopelessness I see on the other side of the glass or the ones we hug and pray with on Sunday afternoons when we go inside for Church. So many want to know what it is to be loved, and cry unashamedly when faced with their sin and the pain they have lived, caused and endure all the time hearing that God still loves them and will forgive them and so do we.
If it was only that easy, but a life of addiction and abuse is hard to overcome especially when you don't take the steps necessary to overcome and find victory. Many have no where to go, they get released at 2:00 am holding their belongings, no money, no home, no hope, they find their way back to familiar surroundings and Jesus is left at the front door. The problem is there is such a great need, look in your own communities, you'll be surprised at what you find, but the Church of Jesus Christ is too busy building their next monument to God, patting each other on the back for their missions giving overseas and putting on blinders to the lost souls around them that sink away into oblivion.
I want to conclude this with the confession that it's bigger than you and me, even though my heart goes out to so many, especially the young ones who just seem to have never had a chance, but even with that I have not found it within myself to invite them into my home. Our church, which is small (approx 40 people on avg), will do whatever we can to get them to Church, provide basic needs such as food and clothing and as much financial need as wisdom and Gods leading will allow. One thing we try to keep in mind is if we are doing more then they are to try and better their life then something is wrong and caution needs to be heeded. I hope this touches some to look at the mission field close to home, the fields are definitely ready for harvest but the laborers are few.
posted by D.R. Miller | 9:57 AM
1 Comments:
Well, I have led a sheltered life but recently was faced with someone whose life has been extremely different from mine and very painful so I can relate to what you are saying. Definitely wisdom has to be exercised about inviting people into your home - I was specifically asked that question and had to think of my response. I think to myself, WWJD? He would somehow know the perfect way to reach out without causing more harm than good, balancing the needs of all vulnerable parties including children in the home, and with maximum results. I'm still not sure of all the best boundaries. But you're doing great because you're doing SOMETHING! Thank you! People like you are probably helping to keep the rest of us safe from more crime by helping to reduce the number of criminals one life change at a time.
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