Alcatraz serves as testament to the draconian punishment awarded to criminals who committed egregious crimes in the United States. Oftentimes compared to Devil’s Island because of its brutal enforcement and austere routine, Alcatraz will forever be remembered as the federal penitentiary that housed some of America’s most notorious criminals of the twentieth century including Al “Scarface” Capone, Robert “Birdman” Stroud, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Alvin “the Creepy” Karpis and John Dekker...okay, so perhaps the latter is not as well known as the rest but all served hard time in Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.

I mention John Dekker in the list with the other criminals because I recently had the opportunity to meet Mr. Dekker. After touring the 12-acre rock island that first served as a light house to guide ships to safety, then a military garrison in 1850 and finally America’s most infamous prison, I had occasion to speak with the aged, white haired man who was there promoting a recent documentary about his time spent on “the Rock”. 

It only took a few minutes to discover that Mr. Dekker served time at Alcatraz for his involvement in copious bank robberies. I never learned how many banks he robbed, or how much money he had stolen, but I was told that he successfully robbed the same bank as John Dillinger and at the apex of his heists he escaped with upwards of $100,000 -- a lofty sum in the 1940’s.

He was eager to answer audience questions so when I stepped to the front of the line I asked him if he had any regrets. I asked the question with the anticipation that with his time served at Alcatraz and with his life nearing the end he would give some sort of testimony about how prison had transformed his life, or how he was sorrowful how his life was tainted because of his illicit actions. Instead, his answer surprised me. He looked up at me from the table, paused and replied, “Absolutely not. The only thing I regret is getting caught. I would do it all over again if I could.” 

I wasn’t sure if he was joking or serious but I was initially taken aback. He continued, “As a matter of fact, I think you should rob a bank too if you think you could get away with it.” By now, it became quite evident that he was serious. He proceeded to justify his illicit behavior by asserting that he had a poor upbringing and had no other choice to succeed in life but to rob banks. 

Thinking back to that poignant encounter with John Dekker brings two lessons to mind: First, the bondage to slavery under which mankind now operates. I should not have been surprised by his obstinate refusal to admit that what he did was wrong nor should I have expected otherwise. The Bible is unequivocal in expressing the complete inability of man to see his own depravity because of the extensive effect of sin. Since the fall of our first parents all parts of our being have been corrupted - including the body, mind, and will, rendering man incapable of spiritual understanding and any love towards God, or in the case of John Dekker, incapable of repenting of his criminal past and encouraging others in similar pursuits. Apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, the natural man is blind and deaf to the message of the gospel (Mark 4:11). There is a natural but total inability to come to faith in Christ independent of a divine work of grace in the heart (Eph 2:1-5, 2:8,9).

The second lesson that can be gleaned from my experience is realizing that only misery ensues when we do not trust in God as our provider. Just as John Dekker turned to a life of crime after he thought there was no where else to turn, the Bible is replete with anecdotes of men who decided to take matters into their own hands - Adam who tried to cover Eve’s iniquity, Abraham who took Hagar in order to produce the promised offspring, Moses who killed the Egyptian, etc. Nevertheless, if we have faith in God and are patient, He promises that all things are being worked out for those who are His. If not, we remain obstinate to the end.

 Further Scripture study:
Genesis 6:5
Genesis 8:21
Deuteronomy 32:18
Psalm 51:5
Jeremiah 17:9
John 6:44
John 6:65
John 12:39
John 15:25
Romans 3:10-18
Romans 7:18
Romans 8:7
1 Corinthians 2:14
Ephesians 4:18