So this weekend I went to help with prison ministries for Bill Glass. It was a rewarding experience. The prison I went to had a strong spiritual presence there before we arrived. A large number of the prisoners were already Christian, I assume because the ministry had been going on there for some time. Before we entered the prison Bill Glass spoke to the group and prepared us for battle, filling us with confidence, providing us with tools for ministry, and blessing us.

I met two prisoners who were not Christians. The first was Hindu, but was very well versed in both the old and new testaments. He encouraged me, saying that he thought we were brave to enter the prison, and that he believed that Christians are closest to Hindu in faith, so he supported the ministry and supported the prisoner Christians in their growth as Christians. The second was NeoNazi. He was very interesting to talk to. He claimed to be Christian, but did not know a thing about God. He seemed kind of uneasy with me there, and he kinda scared me by being so hardcore. He also became very uncomfortable when I asked him about his background and tattoos. I stopped asking, and instead told him to keep growing closer to God and let him go back to what he was doing.

Many of the other prisoners I met seemed almost to know more scripture than I know, so they taught me much more than I taught them. They were so full of practical wisdom. I wish I could have stayed and talked to them for much longer. One of the big things they taught me was that I should enter approach every new person with absolute respect -- with the attitude that I am their servant. I should serve everyone, so that instead of people having to earn my respect and love, they should have it always. Respect being something given to everyone, even people who don't deserve it -- just as love should also be. The thing that people will earn is my distrust, even being offered a generous measure of trust at our acquaintanceship.

While washing dishes today I decided that I am very susceptible to flattery... I think because people don't compliment each other very often around here, and there's so much double-talk in the dorms that I can't take a person's kindness at face-value.

Oh! Jimmy's online!

But anyway, yeah.. so flattery. I should watch out for it. People don't compliment each other often enough here, so I think I'm gonna say nice stuff more.

"Someday you will have to protect yourself."