I Want to Go To Jail: Guest Post by Natasha Robinson

Today’s guest post is from my friend and fellow Redbud Natasha Robinson, a former marine, current seminary student, and all around incredible human being who is passionate about Jesus and people. Natasha has committed to doing David Platt’s Radical Experiment for the year, and has invited us to tag along for the ride. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for those of you who are just joining us on the journey. For those who have been walking along for a while, you know that we have been discussing The Experiment shared in David Platt’s Book, Radical.

The Radical Experiment is as follows:

1. Pray for the entire world;

2. Read through the entire Word;

3. Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose;

4. Spend your time in another context;

5. Commit your life to a multiplying community (pg 185).

I shared some practical ways to go about doing this in the chapter summary.

A couple months ago, I challenged you to spend time in another context. I’m interested in knowing if any of you have done that and if so, what you have learned from the experience. If some of you are thinking about it, I’m interested in knowing what you are considering.

With the summer months ahead, I believe there will be many opportunities to focus on this portion of the challenge if we simply open our eyes and pay attention. Through Margot’s Monday Minute, my author friend and fellow Radical Blog Alliance Partner, Margot Starbuck, is sharing great examples of how to expand our context and Live Loved (one of my messages that I hope to share with you soon) amongst our neighbors. Check out the mini-videos on her blog. I am also beginning her new book, Small Things with Great Love: Adventures in Loving Your Neighbor which is a promising summer read for individuals, book clubs, and small groups.

What small things can you do? What small things can I do? A Chaplain from a local jail preached the sermon at our church on Sunday morning. He began his message informing the congregation of the men and women who received bad news all of their lives and they come to him because they are thirsty for good news. By the end of the message, I leaned over to my girlfriend and said, “I want to go to jail.” She replied that I should not shoot anyone just so I could hear him preach. She actually said, “Don’t pop a cap in somebody just so you can hear the man preach.” Then I clarified, “I only want to go temporarily and not make a permanent stay.” Which made me think…

My church has a vibrant jail ministry and I have not visited a jail once. I have not inquired concerning the details of the ministry or what, if any support they need. There are many reasons that I have not done this. Some of them are quite innocent but one of them is not. The reality is the thought of going to jail, and spending time in that context makes me uncomfortable. For some reason, I believe those (the “uncomfortables”) are the very small things we should do with great love unto the glory of God. So I hope to go to jail this summer.

How about you? What different context will you spend time in? Why?