Everything’s Gonna Be All Right

I grew up bad. Man, I was bad. I knew I was bad, and I didn’t even care. I did so many things I can’t even remember them all. Tell you what, I should be dead. That’s right.

I ended up here in prison, twenty years. I deserve it. I was one of the toughest guys in prison. No one messed with me.

Then one day I saw another guy, a tough guy, too. I saw him walk up to a little guy, who was new and scared, and he said; “Everything’s gonna be all right.” That’s all he said, then he walked on. But it helped that little guy, I could see. I could see it in his face. He settled down. Got confidence. Got courage. And I thought, I’m all torn up inside. Nobody knows it, but that’s me too. It helped me to hear that man say it even though he didn’t say it to me. There was a confidence in his voice, and he gave his confidence to that little guy. He didn’t know it, but he also gave it to me. And I probably needed it more that that other man. I went to a Bible study in our prison block later and found out that the tough guy was a Christian. He opened his Bible and showed me this: “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other as indeed you are doing” (1 Thess 5:11).

Yesterday a new guy was sent to our block. He had the hangdog look, you know, and I passed him and looked him in the eye, and I said, “Don’t worry, brother. Everything’s gonna be all right. The Lord’s looking out for you.”

– A.R.

O LORD, you will hear the desire of the meek;

you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your

ear to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed.

(Psalm 10:17–18)