By Michael Ashcraft —
“Today is tomorrow.”
The words didn’t make any sense to Chaplain Dan, but he could see from the face of the inmate at LA’s North County Correctional Facility that something was very wrong.
As it turns out, the shot-caller had told him he would “deal with him tomorrow.” The shot-caller, the Alpha male for 70 inmates in one dorm, didn’t like the fact that the Mexican Mafia was losing traction and the Gospel was gaining traction.
“Who is inviting y’all to the Christian meetings?” he demanded one day. He needed recruits. He needed sway. He needed foot soldiers to join the ranks of one of California’s most powerful crime syndicates. And Christianity was getting in the way of his purposes.
Later that night, the inmate approached the shot-caller.
“No disrespect to you, but I’m the one inviting all the guys to the Christian meetings,” he said.
“I’ll deal with you tomorrow,” the shot-caller warned.
He knew what that meant: either he or one of his minions would brutally attack him.
But “tomorrow” was Sunday. He had the chance to talk to his discipler, Chaplain Dan. At least he would get prayer, if not an even more definitive solution.
As soon as Chaplain Dan understood the problem, he counseled the inmate. He reminded him that the Bible promised persecution and that Paul had suffered physical harm for the cause of the Gospel. He encouraged the inmate to stay faithful. And they prayed.
With this sober-minded encouragement, the inmate returned to the dorm.
It wasn’t long before the shot-caller cornered him and told him something truly remarkable.
“God told me not to hurt you last night,” he said.
Whew! The inmate got saved by God’s direct intervention.
God heard their prayers and softened the heart of a cold-blooded killer!
Michael Ashcraft helps his Christian journalism by selling bamboo steamers on Amazon.
