Guardians of the Light

It is no surprise when you hear me talk about jail as being a "dark and miserable place".  Jail is not intended to be fun or a relaxing place like a retreat center.  After all, this is a place to punish those who commit crimes.  The problem is that when you put enough criminals in one place who are unrepentant of their crimes, you have an environment that is oppressively dark.

As Christ-followers, we are called to be the light in a dark world,  "...live clean innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people".  Philippians 2:15.  You don't have to be in a jail to see this darkness, but it is certainly magnified here.

The guards who work in jail see the darkness every time they come to work.  Fortunately they can go home at the end of their shift and get away from this darkness.  It is amazing to me that guards are not too jaded by their environment.  Over all, the guards are very professional.  Many will interact with inmates as they make their rounds and engage in pleasant, yet brief, conversations.  Others simply respond in curt, but informative responses.  Mostly they are kind to an inmate, if they are treated with respect.  This is a very basic and simple rule that many people have not figured out.

One morning, I woke up after my breakfast nap.  The pod was quiet so I decided to make some "espresso" and read my Bible out in the great room.  I was reading the devotional from "Our Daily Bread".  The topic was on Matthew 14:27 where the disciples were caught in a storm and how they were so afraid.  As I was reading this passage, the front door of our pod opened and a guard entered to perform his routine security check.  After he completed his rounds, he stopped by my table and asked what I was reading?  I shared the theme and he challenged me with more engaging questions.  It was clear that he was a knowledgeble Christ-follower and he left me with new encouragement!  I would have loved to talk more with him, but he had a job to do.  For a brief moment the room was much brighter.  I was not the only light in the room, there were two lights.

My spirit is lifted when I see this guard on duty.  Although we cannot have conversations, we smile and nod, knowing we are both Christ-followers.  Sometimes that is all that is needed to make my day just a little brighter.

Since then, this guard has been my escort to the nurse for my bandage changes and to my Bible study.  We have brief conversations as we walk the concrete corridors.

The other day I was in a waiting room to have my bandage changed along with 9 other men who needed some medical attention.  As we waited, guys would strike up conversations to make the time pass.  Most of the stories were about their past crimes, which quickly turn into an "I can top that" story. I thought about telling them that I burned my arm in a Meth Lab explosion, but I quickly came to my senses and just listened to every one else.  Just as we were all laughing at some of the bazaar stories, the door opened and the Christian guard scanned the room until he made eye contact with me.  He interrupted the tough guy story and said to me, "Mr Erbst, are you planning to attend Bible Study today?"   You could feel the awkwardness in the room as he asked the question.  I quickly replied, "I do, if they don't mind waiting for me!!"  He said he would see what he could do, and he left the room.  I expected some teasing or joking from the others, but there was none.  They just went back to talking about past conquests and crimes.  I am not ashamed of my FAITH!!!

After I had my bandage changed, the guard took me over to the Bible Study when most other guards would have likely made me miss the study.  This is significant because Bible Studies, Visitations, church meetings and such are considered 'low priority'.  If a medical appointment conflicts with these, they simply cancel them.  By no means do they go out of their way to accommodate both.  But he did for me!!

He also knew the chaplain quite well.  It was later that I learned that this guard was a Pastor before becoming a guard!  Today I am a prisoner in his custody and he is in authority over me.  I do not receive any priviledge because of our bond in Christ.  He has a job to do and I have rules to obey.  However, we both have the light of Jesus in us.  When we are together, that light is brighter as we talk about our God.

We are on opposite sides of the locked doors, yet we are both Guardians of the Light for the sake of Christ Jesus!!!  Praise God.  - McFreedom