This story is not to glorify myself as you will see, my lack of faith in this situation is pretty bad. But God's lesson that He taught me, change my life forever. It is also to pay tribute to Vester and how God used him in my life and the lives of others.
It all started back in the early 90's, I was about a three year old Christian and employed with a vending company where I repaired machines…you know, coke machines, snack machines, food machines, etc… I traveled through out several counties in Alabama, when I would get a call that a machine was in need of repair. Kind of a vending superhero to those with chips hung up or a coke not dropping.
Even though I did have several accounts that I didn't like to go to, there was one that literally turned my stomach every time I heard it's name…The Calhoun County Jail.
I was in the jail vending area, which was a small hallway sized room just off the main hallway, I had just finished working on a machine, packed up my stuff and started out the door, when I ran face to face with…Vester. Vester was a guy who was about 1 year to 2 years older than me and had been in trouble, in and out of jail most of his life. My only real memory of Vester was when we played on the same little league football team. I had to line up against him in practice, I was an offensive guard and every time he would come up, he would punch me with a hidden upper cut right in the chin, needless to say, I didn't care for him a whole lot. So when we ran into each other at the jail, I did what I thought a Christian should…I gave him a head nod (you know like "what's up" with no smile) and I went about my business. Hey, I was a new Christian, give me a break. Besides it was Vester, why should I care, he was right where he needed to be. I headed home with my meeting at the jail still on my mind. I went through the rest of that week and the weekend thinking about my encounter with Vester.
When I became a Christian it wasn't long until a friend of mine also accepted Christ and on Tuesday nights we would go out at 7:30 pm to visit some of our old friends that we use to drink and stuff with. We would go to them hoping to get a chance to share Christ. On the Tuesday following my Vester sighting, I still had him on my mind, so much so that I couldn't even do my daily Bible study. I would get home from work about 1:30 or 2 gave me about 2 hours alone with God, but this day I couldn't even concentrate. I was so very burdened by Vester and his situation. It bothered me so bad that I became angry, "God!" I said, "What do you want me to do, what's the deal with Vester?"
As clear as a bell I felt that God wanted me, yes I said me, to go to the jail (a place I had tried to stay out of most of my life), and witness to Vester. I am ashamed to say it but I fought with God about this. I didn't want to go see him and I sure didn't want to see him in jail. What if he tried to shank me, I'd seen those movies, you turn your back on em' and BAM, next thing you know your on the floor with a sharpened toothbrush in your back, bleeding to death, screaming for your mommy and seeing your life flash before your eyes…don't go into the marsh, don't go into the marsh…crazy humans. I really didn't want to go, so I made a deal with God. I would go, but on my own terms.
MY TERMS:
1) I could go that night, Tuesday our regular visiting day (at that time they didn't have visitation on Tuesdays, I'm one ahead already)
2) I can meet with him in a room not behind glass on a phone but face to face (they'd never let some nut calling of the street come in to that type of situation, now I'm 2 and 0)
3) I go at 7:30pm no later no earlier (I'm going to tell them what to do? I'm 3 and 0 and about to walk).
So I went over to the table where the phone book was, looked up the jail and dialed. A ladies voice came over the line, "Calhoun County Jail". (Made me sick just hearing her say it), I said "My name's Shawn and I want to come down and talk to an inmate named Vester, I want to see him tonight, in a room where we can talk without the glass and phone, face to face". She said "Hold on". I said to myself "bet that ended it". After a few minutes she came back on the line and said "Is 7:30 O.K." Wait a minute, she was supposed to come back and say "Sorry sir, we don't let just anybody stop by and make their own arrangements to visit with inmates!" …NOT "IS 7:30 O.K!"
Notice: I didn't tell her the time I wanted to come.
I told her that would be fine and hung up the phone. I guess I better call my buddy and see if he'll go, I wasn't going alone. So after about 20 minutes of convincing my friend that we would live through it, he said he'd go and we found ourselves in a car headed to the Jail.
VERN
No comments:
Post a Comment