Don’t say YUK to Jesus

A friend of mine was overtly nauseated when I told him I was going to be speaking to prisoners last Sunday night. In fact his exact words were, “Yuk!” He related to me that it gave him the “willies” just thinking about being in the same room with a bunch of hardened state prisoners. He referred to them as, “those people”. One look at his face and I could tell he was visibly shaken just from the thought of it.

Huh?

I pointed out that I had spent some time in prison, and yet he does not seem repulsed by me. In fact we break bread together quite often and I consider him to be one of my good friends and likewise on his part. He was not convinced.

As scheduled I went to the prison with several other men and I spoke on Sunday night Jesus was there with us that night and the prisoners responded to His Holy Spirit’s call in a big way. Very cool. I hate my buddy was not there with us to enjoy God’s presence and to see His miraculous Spirit moving through the room and taking hold of those hardened prisoner brothers and softening their hearts as He did for me nearly forty years ago. It was remarkable.

Matthew 25 states: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Hmmm “Yuk” hardly seems an appropriate response to the thought of going to visit Jesus in prison eh?

Make no mistake about it my friend loves his Lord with all of his heart and we often have long talks about spiritual matters. And before you think too badly of him consider that he has bought more of my books, “Miracle on Luckie Street”, than any other individual. He buys cases of the books in order to give them away to his wealthy and super wealthy clients in the hopes that it will lead them to Jesus and be a blessing to their lives. (I wish more people would do likewise and help get testimony out of how to find Jesus to those in need of it.)

For sure indigent prisoners need to hear of Jesus, but so do those who supposedly have it “ALL”. Most rich people have found that notion to be: “ALL WRONG”. They desperately want to find peace, joy, and happiness in their lives, but they know that all of the money in the world cannot buy it. They need to hear about Jesus.

So-o-o-o How do you witness to the super rich? My buddy has found this most unique way to reach out to them.

When I spoke at the prison yesterday I met a man who has been going to this same prison every Sunday to minister to the prisoners for an incredible 63 years! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? He started doing this when I was one year old. I sent this saint a book this morning and told him he is an inspiration to us all. I just hate that so much of my life was wasted on foolish things and I couldn’t have been more like him.

As much of a super hero that he is though, I really don’t think this wonderful gentleman, whom I suspect is of modest financial means, runs in the same circles as my buddy and is in a position to send books to the wealthy and super wealthy among us who are so in need of hearing testimony of how to find peace through Jesus Christ.

This brings me to an interesting point: the body of Christ needs workers of every description going in many different directions.

Actually I’m no different than my buddy, except in different areas. Personally it gives me the “willies” to think of Mother Teresa using a pair of tweezers to pull maggots off an open wound of some pitiable soul in one of her clinics for the poor in Calcutta India; I couldn’t do it. I also would undoubtedly say “Yuk” to changing diapers for someone on their deathbed in a hospice. I don’t mind getting up in front of an audience of thousands of people and telling them my darkest sins and how I found Jesus when I was at rock bottom in an effort to lead them to Jesus; however it would scare many people out of their wits to give a speech in front of just twenty or thirty people, much less thousands

Some people have a calling to work with the handicapped and disabled, the poor, the downtrodden, the old, those infected with HIV, the mentally challenged, those who are hungry, and sick. Some would be scared silly to move to a dangerous foreign land and become a missionary and distribute Bibles to those in need of them, but yet will faithfully teach Sunday school for decades on end. I know one man who travels to Africa each and every year in order to dig wells for those who have no water. There are many needs to be fulfilled in this fallen world and each of us has a purpose of fulfilling our mission for God.

How about you? What is your passion? What is your purpose? Hopefully it is not limited to just you, and only you, or maybe you and yours and only you and yours.

Can’t think of anything meaningful you do or can do? The Bible teaches: “Seek and you will find”, but you need to take that step of earnestly seeking. It also instructs us to look around and see the vast fields of human souls around us that are ripe for harvest, and it describes the need for more workers to harvest them for the kingdom of God. Finally it guarantees that the rewards for the workers will be great.

I can personally attest to that and tell you that the rewards begin right here on earth and then carry over to heaven. The man who invited me to the prison sent this message the next day after our visit:

“BobThe Holy Spirit hovered over the prison tonight and sprinkled a double handful of seeds which will soon sprout and reproduce through the lineage of all who attended, on and on into Eternity.

Years from now when we are in Heaven we will meet people who will say, You remember the time you shared your story with a group of prisoners in Thomas Co., my granddaddy was there that night and got saved and I am here in Heaven because of it.'”

I can tell you receiving a letter like that is more reward to me than making all the money in China.

Okay if the carrot does convince you to get off your duff and get to work , then perhaps the stick will



Matt. 25:41
“Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”