Thou Shall: The Forgotten Book

Do we look at the overpopulated prisons and think "they deserve what they get, stop coddling them, give them bread and water, treat them as less than human, after all they are the scum of society?" Or do we just not give them another thought? "As long as they are locked away, they cannot hurt me."

Do we pray for prisoners, residents of mental institutions, or residents of nursing homes? That is the job of church ladies and those in the ministry. Not us! We are too busy. After all we are normal, hard-working people who pay the taxes that care and feed those less fortunate. Really? When did we get so calloused that we cast deaf ears and blind eyes to anyone not like us. Do you ever wonder what God thinks of us? Does He approve of all our actions, thoughts and deeds?

It is not our intention to glorify prisoners. They are just like the rest of us. There are inmates who frightened us with their fierceness. Some only wanted money from us. Some were cold and bitter. Most were lonely and longed for a friend, a non-judgmental person with whom they could share their lives. Some knew more about the Holy Scriptures than we did. We love reading just how much Our Lord Jesus Christ is so much a part of their lives and thoughts. They glorify God at every turn.
As a Prison Pen-Pal wrote: "It is not surprising that you are having trouble getting people to agree to write to a prisoner. Ask them how they would feel if it was a family member of theirs in here. They would probably say that their family would never do anything wrong. In here there are grandfathers, fathers, sons, brothers and uncles of somebody out there. Who is to say their family didn't say the same thing? You think we all went to the school guidance counselor and said 'I'm gonna be a convict?' Life isn't just about the destination, it's about the journey."

Within these pages are a compilation of letters written between inmates and a married couple who decided to touch another person inste