But At the End of the Day...? - Ronnie M. Scott

"But He said, “More then that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:27)

For the most part, many inmates have an abundance of time on their hands and many of these inmates choose to spend a significant portion of that time in religious studies. The true purpose (s) for doing so becomes evident in their conduct and behavior. Individual paths to spiritual knowledge, deliverance, salvation, or otherwise becomes clearly discernible with the passage of time.

Within the Christian community, studying the Bible and other related material is highly recommended. In some circles, it is required. Needless to say, proper or correct studying is paramount if the Bible is to be properly understood and the lessons learned are to be of any significant spiritual value. But, at the end of the day, what can be said of the individual? How important was ortho (practice) in conjunction with orthodoxy? One could reasonable argue that lessons can be best learned when instructions are demonstrated by practical living examples. Moreover, given the skeptical nature of our secularized public, seeing would truly beget believing.

Prison ministry personnel always seem to be impressed by the wealth of Bible knowledge that more than a few inmates possess. Toward this end, their encouragement for us to continue to increase and expound on that knowledge is not only needful, but also it is welcomed. I propose that a much greater emphasis be placed on challenging us to daily live out those lessons learned from Holy Writ. The manner in which one lives, validates the proclamations of one’s beliefs.

It is one thing to learn about the transforming power of God’s Word; it is quite another thing to witness the practical reality of His Word.

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
We do this by going beyond merely knowing about the source of our light but by always endeavoring to get to know the Source Himself.

When our need to know Jesus Christ is greater than our desire to jut know the written Word, then it should naturally follow that we will study God’s Word in a new and clearer way. We could possess a determination much akin to David’s: “Your Word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalms 119:22)

Those of us who refuse to embrace that “us-against-them” mentality, even when the officers (them) regard us as undeserving of their respect and treat us inhumanely, we obey Jesus’s command to love, bless, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute us. (Matthew 5:43-48).

Each time we refuse to buy from another inmate some item that we know was stolen or improperly procured, we uphold Paul’s injunction not to share in other people’s sin. (I Timothy 5:21) By properly conducting ourselves as best we can in all situations, we justify Peter’s assertion that the false accusers of the brethren are put to shame. (I Peter 3:16)

Our aim is not to take on a holier-than-thou attitude; it is to take on an attitude to be holy. We pray to be a blessing to others so that the love and goodness of God may be evidenced by the manner in which we live and how we relate to others. “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.” (John 15:8)

So at the end of the day, what can be said about the individual? In whom did I abide as evidence by the fruit that I bore? Was it consistent with what I’ve read and studied? What about you?