Famed surgeon, Dr. Paul Brand once said, ”In the human body, when an area loses sensory contact with the rest of the body, even when its nourishment system remains intact, that part begins to wither and atrophy. In the vast majority of cases—95 of 100 insensitive [unfeeling] hands I have examined—severe injury or deformation results. The body poorly protects what it does not feel. And in the spiritual Body, also, loss of feeling inevitably leads to atrophy and inner deterioration. So much of the sorrow in the world is due to the selfishness of one living organism that simply does not care when another suffers.”
When a part of the body is neglected… it withers. That neglect leads to deterioration… collapse… and an utter breakdown in an important part of God’s creation.
If we’re not careful, we too can become insensitive. Unfeeling. Incapable of putting ourselves into the shoes of another. When we stop feeling the pain of others, our hearts begin to wither. And that neglect leads to unflinching apathy… and an all out indifference to the plight of those less fortunate.
We can’t forget that Jesus Christ cares about and loves everyone.
Those in your home and those people you don’t think about. The ones on the streets and the ones in your office. All matter. Everyone. The free man and the prisoner both count under God.
It’s up to us to remember that… and to make sure that no part of the body of Christ falls under neglect. Why do we conduct services in the prison? Why do we reach out to those who have made mistakes and are now paying the price behind bars? Because they matter. Because their hearts beat and their lungs take in air. Because in God’s eyes, their sin and our sin is no different. Because they are a part of the body.
And we won’t let them wither away…
Hebrews 13:3 says, “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
When one part of the body hurts… we all hurt. When one is forgotten, it affects us all. Are you ready to join us as we reach out to those in danger of being neglected? Will you stand with us as we minister to those in need? If you are interested in serving on our prison ministry team, let me know in the comments below and we’ll connect you.
