Rescue Me

This article was submitted by Victoria Keegan, the director of Assumption's "Rest on Christ" ministry to the incarcerated youth in Arizona. It raises the question about taking action, doing something for someone in his or her time of need and not simply saying, ‘just pray about it.' God is a God of action who can look into our hearts and sees our true intentions however, when one is trapped in sin they need to be rescued - this is the heroic act of Christ on the Cross. Great Lent is ultimately about one's true desire to be rescued from sin or simply to not experience change and growth in one's spiritual life.

On a radio program January 18, 2006, (see http://www.parenttalk.org/listen.htm) Dr. Randy Carlson asked listeners if they'd been intentional with their life today. If not, he tells them that they've cheated themselves. His premise is that by living an accidental life, one allows the things or people around them to determine priorities. He encourages us to not limit our potential in Christ, by living accidentally. He asked listeners, "How can I help you live intentionally?"

During the open phone segment, he took a telephone call from a woman whose brother was going to be released from jail soon. He'd been in and out of jail his whole life. He had "burned all his bridges." Once released, the brother would be homeless (again), didn't have a job (again), couldn't support his children (again), and didn't have any money or prospects (again). The woman said, "I don't know how to motivate him anymore. I don't know how to get him back on track. I don't know if I should even help anymore."

There was a moment's silence from Dr. Carlson. He paraphrased her as saying ‘it's my responsibility to make him better when he gets out of jail.' He told her that "you can't make anybody anything," though he knew it was in her heart to help her brother. Living an intentional life, centered in Christ, has to be one's own first priority. Dr. Carlson noted that the only true motivators are internal to each person: the desire for reward, the desire to avoid pain/punishment (e.g., jail), and the perception of one's own potential. He went on to say that the cycle of self-destructive behavior is an extremely powerful one to break. LOVE and PRAYER can make a difference, however. He invited the caller to love her brother, and pray that God work in his life.


I thought about this exchange. It annoyed me. It surprised me. It seemed a cold response to someone who felt moved to offer compassion to a brother. Can't an action, no matter the intent behind it, still have a positive impact? Dr. Carlson didn't accept the caller's perspective about the dilemma being HER BROTHER. Rather, Dr. Carlson discerned that the question truly was all about THE SISTER. I inferred that Dr. Carlson meant that she needed to explore her own intentions, before deciding to do (or offer) anything to her brother. Further, I inferred him to say that if her intent was to FIX her brother this time (again), that her offer to help the brother wasn't in the best interests of either of them. Of course, Dr. Carlson didn't intentionally say those things, I inferred them.

In loving and prayerful manner, with pure intent, let us who undertake this "Prison" ministry remind the less fortunate of their potential in the eyes of Christ.

After reading the above, a member of our Church family (who desires to remain anonymous) had the following to say (brackets are my words)...

My questions to [Dr. Carlson] would be:
Have you ever been homeless?
Have you ever had limited options?
Have you ever had to choose which would be the lesser of two evils?
Have you ever wished someone, anyone, would not give up on you?
Or, that someone or anyone would show some compassion and give you the option of choosing correctly?
In spite of all that has gone wrong in your life, have you ever secretly wished someone, anyone, could spark a flame of hope and change in your life?
Would Christ have turned his back and walked away?
Would Christ have said it is not my responsibility?
Would Christ have said I am too attached to the outcome or, how does this serve me?

Leaving a person with no hope, no options, and no example of how to live "good" really limits them from exploring unknown territory. People cling to what is familiar, even if it is bad for them, because it is what they know and it is comfortable. People do as good as they know how, and when they know better, they do better.

[Otherwise, ] It is like reprimanding a two year old child for not sitting in a chair correctly when [no one] ever took the time to show him how!

I feel we are responsible for what we see. And, if not me then who?

In a pass-the-buck society, I would like to stand for something. Because if you don't stand for something you will fall for everything!

How would you respond? Why would you respond that way? Would your intent render your response less helpful, from the perspective of the receiver?

Article submitted to Oasis by Victoria Keegan, with apologies for any misstatements/paraphrasing to the original "speakers."