Chicken Winged

“I got chicken winged by the deputy!” claimed a heavy set inmate in front of me, as he showed the hurting right arm.

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“What did you do or say, Sir, that prompted the deputy to do that with your arm?” I asked.

He chose to remain silent. His eyes glowing intensely with anger along with the throbbing pain he was feeling on his right arm, being twisted caused.

“See! Look! My right hand is swelling up now!” he exclaimed with a slightly raised voice.

The Infirmary Deputy stood nearby, guarding all his ways and keeping an eye on me, as I continued to assess the man’s right arm. I ordered for him to try to do all the necessary movements: rotate, flex, extend, to no avail. He claimed his pain was too much and just limited every attempt to move his upper extremity.

“Just watch it!” he warned….as he grew quiet. My eyes read his mind. I knew he had every bit of intention to sue. He felt violated.

Don’t they all say or plan that? These inmates always threaten us that we will be sued. But they don’t readily admit that they are not willing to follow the rules inside the prison. They know and memorize every right from Title 15... Yet, they have never even thought twice or many times to avoid committing a crime outside. They choose to hurt others. They choose to take advantage of others. But with slight pain which resulted from not listening, he was not willing to let go nor admit he was wrong in the first place.

It’s not easy when others have wronged us. In this country, every little offense feeds that hunger to sue. But as Christians, we should be reminded that we have the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ. We must be willing to settle our disputes and differences among ourselves. Bringing our problems to courts who do not believe on Christian values sometimes, will make them insensitive to what we truly value. As followers of Christ, we must learn to focus on our purposes, not the problems.

“When you have something against another Christian, why do you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter, instead of taking it to other Christians to decide who is right? Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide these little things among yourselves?” - 1 Cor.6:1-2

“But I don’t need to write to you about the Christian love that should be shown among God’s people. For God himself has taught you to love one another.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:9

“But you are not like that, for the Holy Spirit has come upon you and all of you know the truth.”
-1 Jn.2:20

"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." - Romans 12:19

That man’s arm was okay. I had the jail doctor followed up with him. His arm was not injured. His pride was. Knowing that he couldn’t do anything to fight back behind the prison walls. Not until he learns to follow the authority, those arms would always be chicken-winged here and there.