None of us wakes up one day and says, “Gosh, I think this would be a great day to kill someone.” Or, “Golly gee, it would be great to go to jail!” Or, “I really would like to get into a massive car accident on my way home tonight.” Well, not unless something is really wrong with you and your life anyway!
And, Bob, not his real name but one of my boys from a decade ago – never woke up one morning and said, “Oh yeah, I want to be framed for a crime I did not commit so I could have a prison ministry…..”
Yeah, Bob is a Christian, a young man with a massive heart for the Lord, a youth pastor want-a-be and willing to put himself at risk to reach the more unreachable portions of our society – kids in really poor areas. But, those darn choices got in the way, as you will see.
Bob was in my very first Sunday School class here at the English church. At roughly 6’7”, he towered over my 6’3”, something I am not used to, something I am not comfortable with. We became fast friends, as much as someone older than his father could be to a teenager anyways.
Now the local Christian community had a rock band and one of the members was a very charismatic type and a drummer. He and Bob struck up an odd friendship, odd because they really had nothing in common, Bob was fascinated by him and his massively tattooed body. Bob went on to learn how to tattoo and did a great deal of self enhancement… Actually not bad stuff, but still I am a little uncomfortable with the practice.
When he first came up with the idea, I pointed out that this really was something not accepted even in the early Church and by identifying yourself with radical portions of society – you will alienate everyone else.
Of course, I am old, I am wrong. Such is the problems of growing aged.
He struggled through college and seminary, no one would take him serious. Jobs were hard to come by because his appearance is appalling to all not of the pagan culture which underlies Europe’s dark side. Friendships, yeah, not many. And he began to identify less and less with what he used to hold to as “normal”. Then he disappeared.
I found out yesterday that he has been in jail for the past year for beating a guy senseless. Huh? Bob, violent? Well, actually no. His friend did all of the beating, he did all of the watching and was found guilty on three criminal counts for his inactions. So, it will be a while longer until he is out.
His family now agrees that were he not so large, covered in tattoos and piercings, the judge would definitely have dropped all felony charges against him. As it is, he gets to pay for his appearance.
Keep him in your prayers and for God to use him mightily while jailed. As I said, he has a massive heart for the Lord.
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