From today's reading:
"Peter now realizes, with the revelation of the Lord's hurting question, that he does love Him, then comes the point-"Spend it out". Don't testify how much you love Me, don't profess about the marvelous revelation you have had, but - "Feed My sheep." And Jesus has some extraordinarily funny sheep, some bedraggled, dirty sheep, some awkward, butting sheep, some sheep that have gone astray!"
I have spent some time this week getting ready to go into prison. There are letters to write, a talk to prepare, and all the arrangements to make to go. But as I do all this and reflect on Chambers' writing, I ask myself "Why?" Perhaps today's reading has a bearing on all of that.
There are a lot of sheep in prison, and they are not much different from the sheep on the outside. These men have some of the same hurts, fears, dreams and heartaches as the rest of us, but they are locked away, some for a very long time. They are forgotten by society and often by their own families. A very high percentage of them have not had a letter or visit in 5 years time. They must feel that they are just a number in a system and no one really cares.
About 12 years ago, a friend of mine asked me if I would work a walk in prison. At that time I had just been on the Walk to Emmaus and felt that God wanted me to be obedient to His call for service. I did not know if this was it, but I was willing to see. I found I could talk to and relate to these men. I saw it was not a scary situation for me and that I had a heart for them.
Even now, when I drive past a work crew on the side of the road, and these men have "State Prisoner" on their backs, I see sheep, and I know that they are not that much different than me.
It is not hard for me to recognize sheep, "for I are one".
Feed my sheep.
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