Who are “Those People?”
Two months ago I was meeting with a potential volunteer at a coffee shop where the tables were relatively close together. Several times during this meeting I noticed a man and woman looking over and then whispering. I thought nothing of it, but as I was getting up to leave the woman said, “Excuse me, we couldn't help but overhear some of your conversation. May I ask you a question?” to which I replied, ”Certainly.”
“Why?” was her question. “Why would you spend your time with ‘those people?’” – a phrase that she used often during our conversation. I introduced myself and asked if I could sit down. I responded to her question about “those people.” After a lengthy discussion, I learned that they were husband and wife and had been married for 43 years. They were – and she was sure to emphasize this point – former church members who had since become agnostic. He shared that their daughter had been the victim of a horrific crime 12 years earlier and that they had been fighting to keep the person who did it in prison. As Yokefellows, we can certainly sympathize with the couple and can only imagine their hurt. At the same time we have to be careful to not take a brush and paint everyone who is inside as “those people.” I told them about a woman who spoke at a local event a few years ago who had experienced a similar situation; her son was murdered at 25 years old. She too shared that her whole world fell apart when she lost her son and that the pain was unbearable. “But then God…” Her voice rose each time she said that phrase, “But then God…” She continued, “But then God asked me to visit that young man in prison. God asked me to visit the man who pulled the trigger that took my baby’s life! And after countless tears, after arguing and even trying to barter with God...I did. I went to see that man!” That was nearly 10 years ago and for the last 8 of those years, she has been that man’s spiritual advisor, visiting with him several times a month. But then God! The couple was amazed at her story and thanked me for sharing. I thanked them for their honesty. On occasion I will receive an email from them asking how the ministry is doing. My purpose in sharing the event is this: in my walk, there was a point when God called me to serve in prisons, and I thought, “those people” …you want me to serve there? Don’t you know what they did? I imagine God’s only response would have been, “Yes, Sean, I'm aware of what they have done.” Just as He once said, “Yes Jonah, I am aware of what they have done, but I am asking you to go anyway.” We are all, if we are being honest, “those people.” We are people who have a past, we all have committed sins that we’re glad people don’t know about. We have closets and drawers filled with dark things from our lives before Christ. But that isn’t what defines us. It’s not who we are. God sent Jesus to you, to share His message, to share His love. He sent Jesus to me to do the same, despite all of my sin, all of my ugliness. He sent Jesus. So how could we as Yokefellow volunteers not go where he has asked us to go?
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