"Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of righteousness". Proverbs 2:20 NLT
I spent most of my adult life working in jail. My dad used to joke that if I was going to be in jail, then I should at least get paid for it. Dad was correct, and the jail provided finances for my family while I went to Bible college, for that I am grateful.
Working in jail provided me an opportunity to observe people in terrible situations and great stress. Usually they followed a set pattern of bad decisions that insured they would sink further into the system until escape was all but impossible. However, on occasion, one of my customers would experience God on a life changing basis and begin walking down a different path. I would pray for them and observe to see if they could survive outside of jail.
90% of them went back to their old negative criminal lifestyle and within a year, wound up back in jail.
So the question is, "Why do criminals find it so hard to stay on the right path after they get out of jail?"
The answer is simple. When an inmate steps out the jail door a free man, he has a choice. Who will he choose to spend time with? The answer to this will determine his fate.
And after a 20 years of studying this, I came to realize that the inmate probably has fewer options than it seems. Ask yourself this, "How many Christians want to mentor a criminal fresh out of prison?" How wise is it for a Christian to bring home a felon right out of prison?
The truth is, the dark sinful world is waiting with open arms to welcome their long lost brother back into then criminal society, no questions asked. The draw of the world is very strong and the decision is as natural as a fish floating downstream with the current.
So to make this a practical blog, I am obligated to conclude with a question, "As you examine your selection of friends, which path does it reveal you are traveling?"
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