Reconciling Fathers to Their Children

There's a highly challenging passage found in Psalm 82, but it is relevant for this time of year, when our hearts seem to be more attuned to the needs of those less fortunate:
3Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy.4Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.5They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
Even though people do tend to be more charitable during the holidays, we can be reminded that God calls us to walk in His compassion on a consistent basis.   It's important that we are sensitized to the suffering around us and recognize that there are opportunities that we have to demonstrate the love of Christ.   He desires to reconcile people unto Himself, and perhaps as we are led by His Spirit and used by Him, we can make a significant impact on a life, that can in turn break a cycle of family deterioration, and contribute to more healthy and stable communities.

In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus encourages us to turn our eyes toward what He calls "the least of these".  We pick up in verse 34:
34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
Those that had been affirmed in this were puzzled, Jesus said.   They asked when they had done these things?   Jesus went on...40And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

Yesterday, I commented on some aspects of the life of Nelson Mandela, who is being remembered for his work in South Africa, having been exalted to leading that nation after 27 years in prison.   And, the indications are that the Mandela that went into prison was not the same man who emerged.

I began to think about the stories I've heard about people whose lives have been transformed during their time in prison - you really have to appreciate those who are involved in prison ministry, spreading the Word of God and the love of Christ in those circumstances.

You know, if someone is in prison, that has a devastating effect on his or her children.  According to a post by Angela Wang on Prison Fellowship's website, studies show that youths who grow up without a father figure have significantly higher chances of incarceration. They are 15.3 times more likely to end up in prison while a teenager, and have a higher risk of delinquency, drug use, and committing violent crimes.

It is truly a cycle of hopelessness, and Angela points out that a key to breaking it is to recognize that an imprisoned father does not have to be a missing father. The generational cycle of crime can be broken if fathers take responsibility for their children, even from a prison cell, and instill in them a new value system. Simply stated, the cycle of crime can be broken through the power of Christ working in families.

Our God is a God of restoration, and there are ministries that are actively involved in not only sharing the gospel in the lives of prisoners, but also in attempting to connect incarcerated parents to their children.   I cannot help but think of Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree program, which was born in Montgomery's Maxwell Federal Prison, which helps to provide Christmas gifts for children who have a parent in prison.  The organization Awana, which is known for its excellence in doing children's ministry has a program called Malachi Dads, that is challenging and teaching Christian men how to grow into godly parents, equipping them to spiritually train their kids regardless of their circumstances and intentionally build a legacy of faith in Christ. The program develops their skills in five key areas: fathering, spiritual, educational, moral and vocational.

Awana reports on its relationship with the Louisiana State Penitentiary, which was once deemed the most violent prison in the nation. Since becoming warden there in 1995, Burl Cain has instituted a number of effective programs at the prison aimed to rehabilitate and restore inmates, and break the cycle of violence that is prevalent among inmates' children.

Warden Cain is quoted as saying, "Regardless of circumstances, children need to know their father loves them in order to grow up as emotionally healthy adults that are less likely to repeat the cycle of violence," He noted that statistics indicate children of an incarcerated parent are seven times more likely than their peers to end up in prison themselves.

There is an annual Returning Hearts Celebration held at the prison in May, where historically around 1000 children visit their incarcerated fathers.   

By the way, at Angola prison, there's an educational partnership with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and you will find the only radio station that is licensed by the FCC to a prison - KLSP.  

And, coming up in our next Ministry Magazine, you'll find out about a unique initiative in which Faith Radio is involved to spread God's Word within prison walls.

Our takeaways for today:  we recognize that people can change.   We also take seriously the words of Jesus in Matthew 25 about "the least of these" - He underscored the importance of visiting the prisoner. Finally, we realize that God can effectively reconcile families, and through that reconciliation, the cycle of crime so commonly found with children who have parents in prison can be broken.