"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3 NRSV Bible)
Rodney Jones and Gerald Uelmen, in their book, SUPREME FOLLY, tell about Nancy Miller of Oroville, California who eagerly accepted an invitation to attend a "Neighborhood Watch" meeting at a neighbor's home. Nancy was the victim of a recent burglary in which her TV set, Christmas stockings and a favorite dress had been stolen from a storage locker. As she sat calmly through the presentation by two police officers, she realized why she felt so much at home. Her television set was in a corner, and her stockings were hung by the fireplace. The clincher was that the hostess was wearing her dress. Nancy caught up with the officers outside, and told them what she had seen. They returned with a search warrant, and arrested the host and hostess after recovering $9,000 worth of stolen property. Score one for "Neighborhood Watch!"

Is this a crazy world or what? We laugh at the stupidity of some criminals, and yet we know that crime is nothing to laugh about. In many parts of our land people are becoming hostages in their own homes. Violent crime may be our most pressing social issue. If anyone has any solutions, I hope you will offer them to the rest of us.

An important aspect of this pressing issue of crime in our streets concerns our approach to treatment of those convicted of crimes. The public mood seems to be for longer and longer sentences and more executions. The amount of money we are spending on incarcerating criminals is really quite unbelievable. Is the money well spent? Who knows? What we do know is that many people released from prison return there at a later date. What are we to do? Each of us will have our own solutions. At the heart of this controversy, though, is a question that Christians must face sooner or later. The question is, can people change? Can we change for the better. The biblical answer is yes, people can change. Will we change our lives for the better to bear witness to the greatness of God?

Lord Jesus, change me into your image, so that I can be a better witness for God. Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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