Taking “selfies” has become quite popular in our society. Yet, while selfies have become quite commonplace, people’s desire to get the perfect picture of themselves can have dangerous, albeit unintended consequences.

God had a job for Jonah. He told Jonah, “Get up. Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach against it, for its people’s evil way has come up before me.” Jonah 1:2 (EHV)

Call him, "Mr. Tattoo." His whole body was covered with tattoos like Queequeg in the novel, Moby Dick. Some of the tattoos were pornographic. I would see most of them as he rested on his hospital bed in his gym shorts. His skin was a deep brown color because his father was from Spain, and his mother was an Apache Indian. His hair was long and bushy. With black and gray streaks, his hair stuck out straight like an Aboriginal bushman. His bushy beard was massive, and his eyes bulged brightly. This wild-looking man in his 30s had asked for a chaplain visit. A bit uneasy because of his looks, I sat down at a safe distance. 

Here’s a Bible verse that came up in a prison Bible study recently: “If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.” (Proverbs 27:14) Maybe that sounds a little odd at first. But one person in that Bible study said, “This tells me that God knows me really well, and he cares about me.”

With the increase of crime in our country, there has also been an increase in fear and concern among its citizens.  Inevitably, several questions arise; one in particular has considerable relevance. Are there opportunities to keep ourselves safe, lessen our fear, and reduce the pressure on police? 

I was very pleased (and mildly surprised) a few weeks ago when Fred’s name appeared on the list for our Bible study in prison. I was even more pleased when Fred actually joined our study of God’s Word that day. He had been a very faithful member of our Bible study group before the Covid-19 pandemic but had not rejoined our group when our study of God’s Word resumed more than six months ago.