When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
–Matthew 25:39

Do not pass go.
Do not collect $200.
Go directly to jail.

The Bible’s full of faithful people who found themselves behind bars—and not because they deserved it. The closest I’ve ever come to being behind bars was playing the game Monopoly.

I swear I’ve never done anything worthy of imprisonment, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got a “get out of jail free” card. People are arrested and imprisoned for a variety of reasons…or no good reason at all.

The Bible talks about several people who were incarcerated:

• Joseph (Jacob’s son) was imprisoned on a trumped up charge made by Potiphar’s wife.
• Samson was imprisoned after Delilah tricked him. (No, these aren’t all about scorned women).
• Peter was rescued from his cell by an angel. He thought he was dreaming.
• Paul and Silas sang their way out of jail—and even converted the guard!
• John the Baptist died in prison for speaking truth to power.

Even Jesus was detained before his trial.

To my eyes, all of these people were innocent by God’s standards. In fact, they were jailed for being faithful.

Today, there are faithful people around the world who have been imprisoned unfairly. Some were found guilty of crimes they didn’t commit. Others were seeking justice in the face of oppression. Some were just the wrong skin color or from the wrong neighborhood.

Where is the angel come down to rescue them? Where is the earthquake, like the one that freed Paul and Silas?

God doesn’t usually send earthquakes and angels. But God still works—through us.

When Jesus tells the parable of separating the sheep and the goats, the sheep were the ones who visited people in prison. Not just the innocent people in prison. Everyone.

Ever reached out to someone in prison? I haven’t, but I know many who do. My dad keeps regular correspondence with a man serving a life term for murder. He might be rightly imprisoned—but he’s still growing in faith.

Others don’t just reach out—they speak out, crusading on behalf of those targeted for incarceration, yet guilty of no crime.

God does help God’s children in many ways, including through God’s other children. We are called to seek the welfare of each other, to act with compassion and courage when systems fail us.

It is not enough to just pray, but that is a start. Let’s pray for those who find themselves behind bars, for whatever reason.

God’s love doesn’t end outside the prison walls. There’s plenty to go around…

so let’s not monopolize it.

Have a great week,

Mitch