Seek Social Justice: Lesson 4 – Working Toward Justice

Work is an important and sometimes overlooked aspect of social justice. As Genesis 2 tells us, God ordained work as part of  the essential makeup of men and women. Work is a good thing; without it, both men and women (and especially men) cannot do what God created them to do.  Whether by choice or lack of opportunity, not working is a deficit that wreaks destruction psychologically, spiritually, and economically: our inner cities and the criminal element that  emerges has direct connections to issues of work. The fourth lesson in the Seek Social Justice series therefore focuses on work, and particularly at the way Men of Valor prison ministry changes incarcerated men “from takers to givers in society.”

Men of Valor (MOV) is having a powerful impact in Nashville, Tennessee.  Last week I had the chance to attend their Christmas Rally and went inside the prison to eat dinner with hundreds of men from around the city who volunteer their time as mentors. Eating alongside us were the prisoners themselves who are a part of the Men of Valor program that starts 12 months before release, and then continues months and even years from the time the men get out of prison, find new jobs (which MOV helps them find),  reunite with their families (whom MOV has helped while the men were inside prison), and and learn to walk as Christian men. I was very moved by the testimonies of some of the men that evening. They had clearly been transformed both through meeting Christ for the first time and through the tough love and care of the Men of Valor staff.

But of all the people I’ve met through our work with Men of Valor, the man who has made the strongest impression is Carl Carlson, the founder and president of MOV. A former convict himself  – he served time for armed robbery in the old Nashville State prison (later the site for the movies The Last Castle and The Green Mile) – and upon release began a ministry to the men who were incarcerated in other prisons. Carl was orphaned at age 5 and led a very tough and rough life, from young years in juvenile prisons, to the infantry in Vietnam, to armed robbery and eventual prison.

Carl is a bear of a man: strong, gruff, and honest. A magnetic leader, he shoots straight and tells it like it is. He understands real life and knows Christ is the only real solution. He is a father to these men and they feel his strong love. Again and again I heard men say they never really knew a father until they knew Carl. The night I was there, Carl received an award from the men and a standing ovation: which he waved off and said it was about his great staff, not him. But the fact is, God has greatly blessed Nashville through the work of Carl Carlson – and his vision for transforming our nation through saving the men in our prisons is powerful. It was a true privilege just to get to know him.

For expert commentary, it was most appropriate to have Chuck Colson speak – he shares that spot at the end with Star Parker, a welfare-to-work mom who is now a national speaker on these issues.  Both of them are very articulate in spelling out the issues of work and social justice. In many ways, work is the only long-term solution to the problem of poverty.  Paul says as much in his epistles, consistently emphasizing work as the duty of Christians in society. As Christians, our challenge is ensuring that we help provide opportunities for work to those who most need them.