The cost of Independence

Matthew 25:32-46

July is upon us, with it comes Independence Day. We remember and celebrate our Declaration of Independence from England. With that Declaration came the revolutionary war. We cannot have one without the other. This is more than a history lesson, it is a life lesson.

Preceding a Declaration of Independence was a realization of dependence upon someone or something. Historically for the United States of America it was England and their taxation and oppression along with economic, physical and political sanctions of the colonists. The life lesson we learn from this is the tragedy of dependence in our society. There is too much alcohol, too many drugs, too much domestic violence. The Justice system is overwhelmed with offenders. As a bi-vocational minister I am employed with the prison system as a maintenance technician a job I have held for many years. With my job comes contact and communication with inmates. These men have tremendous stories and many of them have tremendous testimonies. I also have the privilege to serve on a very special council as a community faith leader. The North Carolina Re-Entry council, McDowell County Chapter. We are part of a larger State-wide group who addresses the difficult process of a released offender making the adjustment back into life on the outside of prison walls. Of course, the foundation of re-entry success is their attitude, they have to want to stay out of prison. If that’s their attitude we want to help them break the dependencies that took them down that road and offer them independence from the old. But, as said earlier it comes with a war. To name a few battles these folks face: there are physical battles, job battles, social battles, housing battles, family battles, perception battles, transportation battles and in my opinion the biggest of them all spiritual battles.

In McDowell County our Re-Entry Council is fortunate to have Freedom Life Ministries to function as the wheels that move us forward. Danny Hampton leads this Christ centered organization. From the FLM website you will find a great deal of information regarding their work with Justice Involved individual’s. For example, this “Freedom Life serves justice involved individuals and their families with programs designed to help our clients begin a journey to a new life.” I have known Danny for many years, he and his family came to our community and very quickly Danny became aware of a problem, when offenders were released most of them returned to their old life and quickly became incarcerated over again. From that awareness Danny became an advocate for those wanting independence from their old life.

The awareness and advocacy of Freedom Life Ministries and the N.C. Re-Entry council coupled with my personal involvement with the Justice involved have moved me to become involved. To be the change I want to see in my community. The battles are real in the lives of these men and women. Those with the strongest convictions to succeed in gaining their independence realize they cannot do it alone. They need us to come along side of them and engage in the battle with them. Getting involved begins with the local church. We are the body of Christ, we are the hands of Christ extended into the world around us. From the passage given in the headline we read this, “35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Those who helped were rewarded those who didn’t were judged. How did they know if they were doing the right thing? Well Jesus answered that question too. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” The least of these are all around us. Will the body of Christ reach out into the local community and be the advocate for Jesus Christ?