I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith to move mountains, but…if I have no love, I am nothing — 1 Cor. 13:1-3.
Do I See Christ in the Unlovable?
Here I was in my hotel room. It was 3:00 AM and I had been reading this particular scripture for several hours now! Lord what are you trying to tell me? In six hours, I was expected to be at the front gates of the prison, where I would be frisked by security, then escorted into a prison chapel to minister to approximately 60 male inmates. I would then be driven over to the women's prison, to minister to them as well. At this point in time, I had nothing prepared on paper but I knew God was doing a work in my heart. I had never done prison ministry before, but everything I knew about prisons did not paint a positive picture. I sat in God's presence believing His word that "perfect love drives out all fear" (1John 4:18). I stepped out in faith, trusting that it isn't about what Lorraine can do, but what the Lord wants to do through Lorraine.
I continued reading this passage of scripture and, as I stopped to ponder, I received a vision of Jesus, walking through the corridors of the prison. He entered each cell, sat on the edge of the bed and laid His hand on their hearts. He looked at them with such love, almost like a mother who looks upon her child sleeping. I began to cry, knowing how much He loved them, and I began to feel within my heart their pain from the absence of love they so desperately needed. Jesus taught me that night that no other gift can be manifested without love, and the greatest gift I could bring was His love. I tossed and turned as I tried to sleep for the few remaining hours but morning had already broken. I had nothing prepared on paper but I knew that Jesus had prepared my heart, and I would trust the Holy Spirit to guide me.
I went through the security check along with my band. Every instrument was thoroughly checked for drugs and weapons. We were led to the chapel to set up our equipment, and then we gathered together for prayer. The prison chaplain approached me and said, "You know, Lorraine, you probably won't have too many coming; usual attendance is about five or six inmates because of late movie watching, etc." I remember saying, "Let's trust God and set up 60 chairs." He looked at me with disbelief and said, "I hope you won't be disappointed."
We turned up the music louder than usual and began singing songs with a lot of joy! Out of curiosity, each inmate peeked his head out of his room, and slowly but surely made his way down the hall, and into the chapel. I felt the Holy Spirit directing our every move. Within 20 minutes, we had approximately 60 inmates seated in the chapel, and I did not have a clue as to how I would open up this service. We stopped the music and opened with a small prayer. I looked into the eyes of each of the prisoners, and my heart was once again pierced with an overwhelming love for them.
What Was I Going to Say?
I felt the Holy Spirit rising within and out came these words: "You know there isn't much difference between you and me; you are imprisoned behind physical walls and I am imprisoned within internal walls." I talked about my anger, resentments, and grudges towards all those who did not love me, and how Jesus set me free from my prison within. My testimony allowed me to gain their trust and from there, the Holy Spirit took over. As we prayed with every inmate, I watched the tears roll down their cheeks and I witnessed God's love healing their broken hearts, removing their blindness and setting their captive hearts free. This powerful manifestation carried on into the women's prison as well.
This beautiful experience transformed my life. The word "Christian" was not just a word I would use loosely anymore. If I truly was Christian, then I needed to choose each day to love as Christ loved. I know this will not be easy in my humanity but, with Jesus, I can receive the strength to endure. Philippians 4:13 says, "I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me." Jesus is not asking me for perfection but obedience.
How Can I Help Love Stand?
This experience inspired me to write a song entitled "Help Love Stand", a reminder to myself and others that we must look beyond color or race, creed, political views, moral values, the clothes we wear, the style of our hair, the rich and the famed, the poor and the lame. None of this makes a difference when we are looking through the eyes of true love. Then we can see Christ in all people.
Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way as you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others (Matthew 7:1-2).
It is all laid out so beautifully for us in God's Word:
Love is patient and kind, it is not jealous or conceited or proud
Love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable
Love does not keep a record of wrongs
Love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth
Love never gives up and its faith, hope and patience never fails — 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Today I will start by doing little things each day. I might open a door for an elderly person at the mall. I might be kind to the worker at the supermarket. I will make that special call to that person who needs to hear "I love you" today. I will help bring peace into the world. I will begin by saying "I'm sorry" to all those I have wounded and forgive all those who have wounded me. I will pray for my enemies and love all those who persecute me.
Can you imagine the peace around the world if all Christians lived out their call to love as Christ loved? The question is, am I willing to pay the price?
