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PUT ON YOUR LISTENING EARS
by Anthony Rodriguez
Recently, I was talking to my young son, Kaleb, about my prison experience that you
just read about. Kaleb couldn’t understand how his daddy could do something that would
cause him to be locked up.
“But Daddy, you are a man of God.”
“Yes, son, I know. But I disobeyed God.”
“Why, Daddy?”
“Because I didn’t have my listening ears on, and when a person doesn’t have their
listening ears on, they make mistakes—even men of God. When a person makes mistakes,
they have to pay a price. Daddy had to pay the price for his mistakes and go to prison.
There are always consequences to a person’s choices, Kaleb.”
“I don’t want to make mistakes, Daddy, and go to jail!”
“You just keep your listening ears on, Kaleb, and you’ll be all right.”
You’ll be all right, too, if you keep your listening ears on. Luke 11:28 says, “Blessed…
are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (NIV).
kojministries.org Issue 1 2018 11
I’m proud of today, but back then I wasn’t messing
around. I was desperate.
My choices as an addict led to an arrest, where I
faced the possibility of 15 years in prison. You can
believe I was calling out for help then.
“Lord,” I cried. “You’ve got to do something! I
can’t take 15 years in prison!”
I considered packing up my family and running,
but something inside my mind said, “Accept what
you’ve done, Anthony, and rest.”
On one hand, God was calling me to take
responsibility for my actions and face whatever
would come my way. But He was also promising
me rest. Man, did I need rest. Through this timeout,
God was giving me a second chance. I knew
that if I didn’t take it, if I didn’t straighten up, I
might never have another opportunity.
I was sentenced to three years. When the judge
gave his verdict, I turned around and handed my
wife my belt, wallet, and the ten dollars I had in my
pocket. A heavy burden fell off my shoulders. I was
going to prison, but I knew I was going to be okay;
I knew God was with me. He hadn’t forsaken me,
even though I had forsaken Him.
Going into prison, my main concern was my
family. I’d left my wife in such a predicament.
Because of my actions, she was now a single
mom with a home to care for and many bills to
pay. She was also facing rumors and humiliation
in the church. I had made such a mess of things.
“God, please take care of my family,” I pleaded.
And He did. In the years I was incarcerated, my
wife, Jenny, earned four promotions, paid off
every bill, and even purchased a new car.
God showed me that my responsibility as
Jenny’s husband was to maintain the marital
covenant of being her spiritual covering. I had
failed her; God was offering me a second chance
to get it right.
Husbands are called to be the protective
covering over their wives, to provide love, affection,
and security. This covering is like an umbrella. It
protects our loved ones in the downpours of life.
In my absence, I couldn’t give Jenny any of these
things in the physical realm, but God allowed me
to give them to her in the spiritual realm.
I prayed and fasted for my wife often. I also
determined to live a holy life before God. I had
to live pure for her. My unholy life had caused my
family so much pain. I couldn’t do that to Jenny
and our son again.
God blessed our marriage and strengthened it
daily. Jenny says I did more for her while locked up
than I’d ever done for her while free. We treasured
our time together during our on-site prison visits
and phone conversations. God taught me how to
listen to my wife, how to encourage her, and how
to provide a safe place where she could express
herself.
Jenny graciously forgave me, choosing to focus,
not on the man who had caused her so much
pain, but on the man of God she knew was in
me. She never quit believing in me, and she never
gave up hope, even when the community and her
own family turned against her.
Not only did God bless my marriage while I
was in prison, but He also blessed me with favor
behind bars. The barber job I was assigned offered
many privileges. God showed me that if I would
choose to be faithful in the small things, He would
bless me with bigger things. Can you believe He
used a piece of chicken to teach me this lesson
once and for all?
Supper in the chow hall was at 4:00 p.m., which
meant I was always hungry by the end of the
b
j
c
l
t
T
TheY sAy Sin wiLl TakE yOu
FurTheR tHan yoU wAnt to go,
KeeP yOu LonGer thAn You waNt
To StaY, And coSt You moRe ThaN
You waNt To Pay. wHoeVer thEy
Are, tHey arE rIghT. Sin alWayS
CarRieS a grEat coSt, anD nO oNe
Is ImmUne frOm Its peNalTy.
Anthony's time-out in prison
taught him to trust God in all
things. This photo was taken
during a family visit behind
prison walls. Read Jenny's
reflections of their time-out
experience on page 28.
/kojministries.org