WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Origen, an Alexandrian theologian (c 185-254) wrote: I have read somewhere that the Saviour said—and I question whether someone has assumed the person of the Saviour, or called the words to memory, or whether what is said is true—but at any rate the Saviour himself says, "He who is near me is near the fire. He who is far from me is far from the kingdom." (Origen Ham. Jer. 3.3 [cf. Gospel of Thomas 82])

Prison is a world of its own. Brick walls, razor wires, and electric fences divide two worlds from each other: The FREE world from the SEQUESTERED world.

As a bible reading. God-loving, born-again follower of Jesus Christ, I am taught to obey all rules and guidlines. But (you saw that "but" coming, huh?), can a Christian living within the sequestered world truly and faithfully do and follow all the rules and guidelines that are placed on him?

Before you answer that, answer these questions: What do you do when the rules state that you must not own more then 10 books? However, many, if not all, have 15 or more books.

What do you do when the rules state that we can only own 4 t-shirts, but many inmates own one or two more?

What do you do when your friend is being attacked by someone, yet the rules do not allow you to jump in and save him? Do you jump in and save him or do you sit there and watch him get killed?

What do you do when you are extra hungry and sneak-out an extra bread roll from the chow hall, knowing that no food is allowed to leave the chow hall?

So, what do you think ... can the sequestered follow all the rules enforced on him?

You might be asking what is my point in all this? Well, let me quote Tertullian (c 160-200), an African apologist and theologian, "No man can obtain the kingdom of heaven that hath not passed through temptation." These "What do you do?" questions are to show you that as inmates we face choices that must be made on the spot...everyday. Sometimes we make the wrong choices and sometimes we make the right ones. However, many a time we do not know when we made the right one or the wrong one. Why? Because we have no one to compare them to.

For months I have been writing these updates to help encourage god-loving Christian to mentor men like me. However, sad as it is, only a handful of people have risen up to the challenge. And others have only taken the time to pick-up verbal stone to throw them in my direction.

I know I'm not perfect. I know this well. But to throw that in our faces ... well, it's plain wrong. And to tell you the truth, it hurts—it hurts badly.

What we need are not "stones" but love and guidance. We know that we are not perfect. We are the picture of not being perfect (we are in prison) . Many a time we reach for help from the outside world, only to be tossed a stone and be written off.

Jaci Velasques, the Christian pop singer, sings in one of her songs, "Sometimes it feels as though my life is like a test/With expectations that I've got to be the best/Feels like everybody's always watchin'/One little slip gets people talking/So many unkind words are spoken/You see my heart is hurting, but it's still open...."

My point behind all of the above is that we still need you to help mentor. What we don't need is judging (we get that from our fellow inmates everyday already). But how can you know the difference between wisdom, advice, council, and judging? Well, just as Jesus came to this world to live and be tempted as one of us. You must too come and know how we live. To understand the pressures and issues within the sequestered world, one must encounter it one-on-one. This is first done by giving some of your precious time to a Christian inmate through a penpal-ship.

One of the greatest Christian business men that still lives today is S. Truett Cathy, founder and CEO of Chick-fil-A Inc. He once said, "If you wish to enrich days, plant flowers; if you wish to enrich years, plant trees; if you wish to enrich eternity, plant ideals into the lives of others."

In other words... we need you to enrich our lives. I know that your help and love do change lives... I'm living proof. So help us to make the right decisions in our everyday struggles. Please, I beg you to pray about it.

So the question to you is, "What will you do?"

...Waiting for your letters of love...Praying for this Country...And crying for freedom from this sequestered world...Straight from Adrian's cell...

Shalom, adrian@truthfreesus.org

"Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!" (Proverbs 31:8-9 The Message Bible)