Where You Can Go To Meet Interesting People

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.
Ecclesiastes 9:10a

You meet some very interesting people when you go to the county jail.

Some of them were raised in Christian homes with good parents. Many of them, not so much. Some of them are very intelligent, and others seem to have burned a lot of brain cells on drugs. (That is not a joke.) Some of them can’t wait to sit around the tables and listen to a Bible lesson. Some get up and leave the moment we walk through that heavy clanging door.

Occasionally there will be a lady in there who is just a little bit…let’s say… challenging. The most memorable of those for me so far has been Nicole S. From the moment I walked in, I could tell she was running the place with her fast-talking charm, bold humor, and irresistible schemes.

I only met her once, and that was the day I made the mistake of bringing in a red pen. As it was being passed around with the sign-in sheet, I noticed Nicole making furtive glances to some of the others. When I very directly asked to have my pen back, one young lady sheepishly handed it back to me in three parts. I think they were planning, under Nicole’s direction, to take the middle tube holding the ink and hand back the empty exterior pieces, hoping I wouldn’t notice. I’m sure they wanted the ink for DIY tattoos.

Never a dull moment! But I do love going there.

I love it because I get to teach Bible basics on a very practical level. And I don’t have to work to get that initial study, which in “real life” is the hard part for me. Sometimes I feel a twinge of guilt because these ladies are not the “best candidates” or the most likely to overcome their past sins. I should do more, much more, to gain study opportunities with people outside the jail. But when I look into the eyes of the women at the jail, I do love them and have hope that God will help them learn to use their talents for better things than stealing pens.

Sometimes members of our church will thank me and my jail ministry partner and mentor, Sue, for what we do at the jail. They will say things like, “I don’t think I could do that.” But they serve in ways that I can’t, am not good at, don’t have time for, or just plain don’t wanna do. I feel like I couldn’t do the things they do.

In chapter 12 of I Corinthians, Paul beautifully describes the church as a body in which all the different parts are needed to fill their role. He reminds us that we need to honor one another because, although some parts may seem less important, the truth is, we’re all important to God.

I like how the CEV puts verses 24b-27:
God put our bodies together in such a way that even the parts that seem the least important are valuable. He did this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly, with each part caring about the others. If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored, the whole body will be happy. Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body.

What a relief to know that I’m not expected to do everything or to be good at everything. I just have to do my part. Therefore when it comes to working for the Lord, “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might! (Ecclesiastes 9:10a)

Some members of our church were raised in good Christian homes. Others not so much. Some have fancy degrees; some didn’t finish high school. Some are great speakers, some are great cooks, some have a great way with children. Some are parents, some are divorced, some have chronic illnesses, some are rich, some are introverts, some have been in jail in the past…. Everyone has a story. And everyone has a talent. You meet a lot of interesting people when you go to church too.

Dear God, Your plan for Your church is so beautiful and such a blessing. Help me to see the good and the potential in every single person I meet. Help me to see them as a brother or a sister. Help me to see them as You see them. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

by Christie Cole Atkins