By Larry J. West

I wish it were possible to introduce some of the inmates to some folks and to young people on the outside. I believe there are many valuable lessons that could be learned. There are some people who would receive a great deal of enlightenment. For example, many seem to believe that, all inmates in general are the same. However, in actuality this has not been my experience.

There are some who amaze me with their Bible knowledge. (I am not saying that they have all of their facts straight) But there are some who can sit down and discuss scripture at length and correctly quote many passages from memory. It continues to impress me when inmates tell me how much time they spend reading the Bible and praying. I am afraid that it would put many of us to shame if we compared the actual amount of time spent. Sometimes I will give out the easiest Bible correspondence course I can find, only to discover that the inmate goes through them rapidly and progresses through the very difficult ones and responds with very accurate and correct answers.

There have been many times when inmates will ask to talk with me and tell me how badly they want to straighten their lives out and do what is right and be correct and close to the Lord.

It would be good if young people and others could see first hand how sad and tragic it is to talk with those who have dissipated their physical bodies and their minds with alcohol, drugs, illicit sex and wanton indulgences. There are those who cannot carry on a very intelligent conversation, have very little ability to recall and almost no capacity to learn. How sad it is to see those in this condition.

When I work with those who have not been exposed to Christian values and principles in their lives, it makes me very sad. I am impacted by scriptural admonition to, “Train up a child in the way he should go”; to “bring children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” I wonder at the people on the outside who do not see the urgency of taking their children to Bible classes and teaching the Bible to them in the home. Folks! It is well worth every minute of time it takes! If we don’t do this, we may be eternally regretful for not having done so!

I have hundreds of opportunities to witness first hand the harm, the damage and the destruction which is wrought by broken homes, lack of love, and lack of strong family ties. It is not surprising why some of these inmates have ended up in prison!

The very nature of our society and the absence of moral veracity will continue to contribute to the need for more and more prisons, and more and more overcrowding in the ones we already have.

I wonder how often we stop to think that we are the only ones who can help others come to a knowledge of the truth. If souls are going to be saved, it will be those in the Lord’s church who will help them. If we don’t do it, it won’t get done! We must make certain of our own conversion, then let us begin with our own families and friends and loved ones. Also, let us be ready for, and look for opportunities to teach anyone who is lost.