“I read the news today oh, boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And the news was rather sad
Well, I just had to laugh…”
A Day in the Life by Lennon/McCartney
An innocent man walks free – from death row to freedom
I’ve spent much time volunteering in prisons and I am always struck by two things: 1) the brutal nature of life behind bars, and 2) the incredible grace that could be found amongst the brokenness.
In spite of the many good people who work in our prison system, it primarily exists to cage instead of reform. People love pointing fingers at others with self righteous attitudes of “lock ’em all up and throw away the key.”
But yesterday, on Tuesday, March 11th, 2014, they found the key and released a man, Glenn Ford, who had been on DEATH row for 26 years because clear evidence had come out he did not commit the crime. Imagine that, being on DEATH row for 26 years knowing you did not commit the crime, and then walking out of Angola prison in Louisiana a free man.
I met a man in a maximum security prison once serving a life sentence for double murder. He was not innocent and would freely admit his crimes. As I came to know him, it was clear his deep faith had set him free and as he said to me more than once, “these bars aren’t my prison, my prison was the kind of person I was when I committed murder. Today, I’m free.” The moment he realized this came when after 10 years in prison he sat watching a bird flying in the air from his cell bunk. In that moment, “I was happy, and I realized I could be happy. I didn’t have to be a devil. I’ve pursued that joy and God ever since.” And he lived it, he is undoubtedly one of the most joyful people I have ever met. More than once his smile and a kind word brightened my day.
We must always fight for freedom, truth, and the belief that anyone can be redeemed, especially for those most undesirable to us. We never truly know who can or cannot be redeemed, and we truly never know the truth of someones heart. They may be innocent, or they may be guilty. We are called to minister to them all.
Christ said, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Most of those in prison are guilty. But that doesn’t mean we should just automatically throw away the key. Think about this innocent man, Glenn Ford, think about “the least of these”, and if you can, visit them. You might just be surprised by the grace you find there.
Read more about Glenn at the following link: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2578823/Man-spent-decades-La-death-row-freed.html
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