Listen To A Story 'Bout A Man Named Fred

Sometimes it’s easier for us to have our right arm cut off than to change our ways. A few hours in the life of Fred Johnson perfectly illustrates that unfortunate conclusion. According to an article by Lisa Tarrants in the February 2010 issue of Our State magazine, Fred stole “half a box of cakes” from a North Carolina country store. Fred was caught and was being held in the Camden County jail where he and three other inmates schemed to break out when the sheriff, the only one with the keys, had gone home for the night. Whatever plan they devised failed, for the jail caught fire during the implementation and Fred and his cohorts were suddenly in fear for their lives. The sheriff returned in time to rescue the inmates, but the jail burned to the ground. Fred and the other prisoners were carried next door to the courthouse to be held until morning. However before the sun was up, Fred managed to get his hands on the shotgun of the sleeping Constable B.H. Cartwright and fired through the constable’s hat, missing his head by a few hairs. If not proved reliable on his night watch, the guard made up for it in quickness and accuracy. The constable shot Fred in the arm, delivering an injury resulting in the amputation of Fred’s arm.

Fred’s story began with stealing a few cakes. As stated by the magazine writer, “Now, his troubles would include trying to escape, burning down the jail and shooting at a lawman. And the whole debacle cost him his arm.”

Fred’s story took place one hundred years ago in March, yet human nature continues to entangle us in the same sort of chain of unfortunate events. While I don’t know if Fred was unjustly charged in the first place, or if he felt he had no hope for a fair trial, most certainly his fate would’ve been better if he’d said he was sorry, changed his direction in life, found accountability and proved himself changed in heart to those who knew him best. At the very least he would have had his arm.

According to God, "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 (Read that again…)

While in the modern dictionary, the word contrite means “showing sincere remorse; filled with a sense of guilt and a desire for atonement; penitent,” the biblical Hebrew word for contrite, most interestingly, means “smitten, maimed, or dejected: contrite, lame.”

If only Fred had been “maimed” in heart toward God before being maimed in figure, his story would’ve been recorded differently. Fred may have gone through many decent motions on the outside before the sin in his heart came out in his story. We at times act out what appears to be sacrifices of a holy and/or good life, but God knows when we “have chosen our own ways, and (our) souls delight in (our) abominations.” Isaiah 66:3

What to do? The Lord knows the secrets of our heart. (Psalm 44:21) God knows what we nurture in our unseen self, the lingering sin that will eventually come to light; we cannot hide it. We think Adam and Eve absurd for hiding from God after their transgression, but we do it all the time. We attempt to cover up, sometimes going from sin to sin to avoid repenting of the original wrongdoing- burning down the jail, shooting at the guard: hurting others in a process we didn’t originally intend to hurt. God is there to lift us up, forgive us, make a new path for us, lead us to accountability and restoration, bless us, demonstrate His glory through us and use us to unfailingly encourage others to seek the same. Those with a limp in heart toward God walk stronger in life.

Ask the God who knows your heart to show you His examination and how to deal with it. Your story can be great one hundred years from now.