June 17, 2024
Apparently, I am not excused from Matthew 25:35-46. In the story of “the least of these,” Jesus speaks of the hungry, the poorly clothed, the sick, and the prisoners. He taught, “Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” The first three are the easy parts.
The part about ignoring the prisoners is where I have been guilty. Having never spent time in jail, I found relating to an inmate difficult. I may be guilty of many sins but not of manslaughter,
assault & battery with a deadly weapon, sexual offenses, and illegal drug possession. Those are just some of the crimes committed by the guys I teach weekly at a prison over an hour’s drive from our home.
One class is about how to be a good husband and father while incarcerated and even after their release. The other is about grief and loss. Yes, prisoners have emotions and cry just like you and me. They may even cry more often – they just don’t let others see their tears. It would be seen as a sign of weakness, and some things are better not expressed in prison.
Come to find out, they are not all hard-hearted criminals like I assumed. Maybe you did, too. If so, we were both wrong.
That’s not to say they are innocent. The guys I teach have actually told me they have a tough time forgiving themselves. That’s one area we’re 
working on. If Jesus can forgive us, we need to forgive ourselves, even if others cannot. These guys know they will never be the same and will always be seen with suspicion and mistrust no matter how much Jesus has touched and changed their hearts while incarcerated.
I’ll share some of their stories in the weeks ahead. For now, thank you for making it possible for me to represent you and do what Jesus taught by ministering to the “least, the last, and the lost.”
Grace and peace to you!
Ric Shields
P.S. I can’t provide photos but I wish you could see these guys worshipping the LORD during their chapel services. They worship with amazing freedom while living inside of razor-wire topped fences.