The reflection of Jesus was all around me in the prison chapel. A small group of church volunteers joined me in a chapel service. The worship volunteers followed the lead of the prison worship team, laughing and talking with them as they practiced for the service. During the service, as the volunteer pastor shared his message, enthusiastic vocal responses filled the air, affirming the points that resonated deeply.
After the service, many of the men approached us, asking the same heartfelt question: “Will you come back?”
As I drove the pastor and worship volunteers back to the church, the van was filled with lively discussion about their experiences with the men. Having never been to a prison before, they now asked me even more questions than they had before we entered. As we neared the church, all three eagerly asked, “Can we go back?”
In that chapel, the inside and outside church came together. Compassion flowed from the volunteers toward their incarcerated brothers in Christ. In return, the men expressed gentle humility, waiting patiently in line to speak with those who had come to visit them. It was clear why everyone longed to be back in one another’s presence.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12).
These attributes do not come naturally to us (Jeremiah 17:9). As we learn to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23-26) and live in Christ (Galatians 2:20), His expression becomes more powerful and transformative in our lives. When I see someone showing compassion, humility, or a gentle spirit, I see someone who has taken their eyes off themselves, impacting those they encounter.
May I offer a prayer for you and, in turn, ask you to pray these words over others growing in their expression of Jesus?
“Lord, may each of us reading these words know who we are in You. You are our King and Counselor. You have shown us Your desires and will for us. May we come to understand You better. May the Scriptures come alive in us and be placed deep within our hearts. We long to express Your attributes to our students behind prison walls. Help us. Prompt us through the Holy Spirit to be more compassionate, to be humble and kind to others, and to be gentle and patient with everyone we encounter. Thank You, dear Jesus.”
We experienced the presence of Jesus in a prison chapel and hope to return soon. May each of you continue to be His reflection as you reach out to others in need of the hope He provides.
“Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the world. Yours are the feet with which Christ is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which Christ is to bless all people now.” – Saint Teresa of Ávila