1 of 1

Key Bible Verse: Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him (Luke 15:20). Bonus Reading: Genesis 27:30-40

I spoke to 40 teenagers incarcerated in the Orange County, Florida, jail for serious crimes. All but 4 had no father figure. I handed each young man a nametag, asking him to write his name on it and stick it to his chest.

Later I knelt in front of each one, looked him in the eye, and said, "Carlos Rivera (or whatever was on his tag), God knows your name. He loves you very much. … He knows everything you've ever done and will do, and wants to forgive you. He has good plans for you. If you'll reach out for Him, He's already reaching out for you. God wants to adopt you and be your father. Do you understand this?"

By the third youth, some initial snickers had given way to eager anticipation. Each time I knelt in front of a boy, he looked me directly in the eye, soaking up what I was telling him like a dry sponge.

I urged these young prisoners to repent and put their faith in Jesus Christ. Several did. I concluded with, "I'm a hugger, so if you need a hug, come and see me before you leave." Twelve youths lined up. I gave each his hug, and we exchanged words. Then a guard handcuffed him to another prisoner for the walk back to his cell.

—Patrick Morley in The Young Man in the Mirror

My Response: To make my child feel loved and blessed, I'll …

Thought to Apply: Children of all ages need meaningful touch, particularly from a father.—ROBERT SALT (author)

Adapted from The Young Man in the Mirror (Broadman & Holman, 2003) by permission.

Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

 1 of 1

share this page

Prayer for the Week

Lord, the pressures of raising a family can make me come across as a policeman more than a loving parent. Please help me to communicate the love I feel.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter (All fields required)    RSS Feed   RSS Help