“Hey, Kyle!” When I heard my name being called. I immediately looked down from the second floor and saw it coming from Red. He was a known hustler. His hustle consisted of cleaning people’s cells and washing shoes and clothes for food. Red, however, struggled with addiction. He asked me, “Do you have any soup? I’ll get it back to you later.” I told him I did, but he didn’t owe me anything. I went to my room, grabbed a soup from my locker, and tossed it off the tier to Red, who caught it below. Red thanked me and then scampered away.
Afterward, I grabbed my water bottle from my cell and went across the tier and down the stairs when an older convict named Tango stopped me. He got his nickname because he liked to fight. Tango had been stabbed multiple times in the past, so he didn’t want anyone to stand closer than an arm’s length away from him at all times. Tango and I met weeks before in the chow hall line. Where we made small talk, and I found out he had been incarcerated for the last forty years. He asked me, “Why did you give Red soup knowing that he spends all his money feeding his addiction?” Tango’s question caught me slightly off guard but gave me the perfect opportunity to converse further with him.
I quickly replied, “Tango, I gave Red that soup because I’ve been exactly where he’s at now. Many years ago, I struggled with addiction myself, but God has since delivered me from its grasp when I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. God had compassion for me when I was a mess, so I showed compassion to Red.” Plato once said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” That day, Red was fighting a hard battle. Tango and I had a good conversation and later became good friends. He confided in me that he had prostate cancer and was currently receiving treatment, but the prognosis was not good. Later, I was allowed to pray and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with Him.
Nevertheless, it all stemmed from Tango witnessing one tiny act of kindness. Several months later, Tango told me his cancer was in remission. He thanked me for my prayers and praised God for healing him. Be kind and compassionate because you never know who’s watching or the impact it may have on others.
