Living the Gospel

Preach the Gospel every day. Use words if necessary. -- St. Francis

Hurray for the courageous Ashley Smith of Atlanta, who was taken hostage by quadruple-murderer Brian Nichols.

St. Matthew recorded that Christ taught, "Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." (Matthew 5:39-41)

In the wee hours of Saturday morning, Nichols confronted Smith in the parking lot of her apartment complex and forced his way into her apartment at gunpoint, where he tied her up.

While she was being held hostage, she read to him from the Bible. "God led him to me to tell him that he had hurt a lot of people," Smith said. She advised him to turn himself in, and then made him a pancake breakfast, which "overwhelmed" him. Having gained his trust, he allowed her to leave to visit her young daughter and even gave her some money.

"You need to go to prison and share the word of God with all the prisoners there," Smith told him.

Well done.