He is No Fool Who Gives What He Cannot Keep...To Gain What He Cannot Lose.

There was a young woman who liked to go to every church service and Bible study except for the ones that Susan taught.  And that was OK.  Not everyone has to like all of us and it is one of the reasons we like to have a variety of teachers.   What was odd though was that this woman (whom we'll call Teisha) had never spoken to Susan or come out even once to any of Susan's classes.   So why the cold shoulder?  Who can say?

Teisha was also in our GED program and had worked with the other two teachers until she was ready to take the official GED test, which is when she had no choice but to communicate with Susan as the head teacher in the program there at the jail.  To take the test meant filling out forms and getting a money order to send to the state of Ohio since Teisha had taken the test before and failed. 

Inmates can't get money orders for themselves, so Susan had to run out and get one.  $42 made out to the State of Ohio GED testing center.  Susan had done this in the past as a service to the inmates and then they would pay her back.  Well,  Susan did this errand for Teisha and Teisha happily took her test.   About a week later, Susan reminded her that she should tell the office to give Susan a check out of her own account.  Teisha said OK and never did it.  About a month went by. 

To be honest, the cold shoulder had always hurt a bit.  But, the rip off was angering.  Susan slowly steamed over the bad treatment.  She checked with the inmate accounts officer and found that Teisha had PLENTY of money to pay her back.  She just wouldn't!   Susan was now boiling........but the Holy Spirit pulled her off the burner of bitterness with a steady hand!

It occurred to Susan that the only way to get over the anger at being treated so badly was to do what the Bible said.  "Return good for evil and in so doing heap hot coals" upon that person's head.    So Susan decided to go to Teisha and announce that the GED test price was a gift to her and not to worry about it.  And that is what she did.

Teisha was working on the inmate laundry when Susan nonchalantly stopped by with this news.  Smiling and bubbly, Susan enthused, "You know, I've been thinking about it and I have decided that your GED test cost was a gift.  I just hope and pray that you passed so that it really is a great present!"

Teisha's mouth dropped open.  "Why?  I can pay....uh, I have money.....umm,  you don't have to do that."

Susan persevered,   "No really!   I just want to do this as a gift for you.  You are going to prison for ten years.  I know it has got to be tough and I just want there to be something nice for you to remember from here."   

By this time, giving her this gift was feeling good in Susan's heart.....God does work in mysterious ways and Susan was finding herself to be truly happy with Teisha's surprise and shock and even how it felt to just sort of die to herself on the whole issue.  Susan breezed out of the laundry room and went about her day with joy restored in her heart and mind.

What she didn't know was that Teisha had burst into great gulping sobs right then and there.  "Why would she do that for me?  I've never been nice to her. I don't deserve this.  Why, no one has ever done something nice like that for me in my life!  I could pay her!  Why?  Why the gift?"  she cried to her coworker who really had no answer, but later told Susan the story.   

Teisha sent Susan a sweet little thank you note and from then on, had a smile on her face for Susan.  It was nice. 

That was about a year ago.   Teisha went off to Marysville to start her very lengthy sentence for drug dealing.  Susan got her address from another inmate and sent her a Christmas card and Teisha sent one back. 

Then, this month Susan got a letter from Teisha.  In it she said that it had taken a while to adjust to the horror of prison life and the loss of freedom.   She said that she had had alot of time to think and that she had decided she really needed to learn more about God.   HOW WONDERFUL!

But here was the amazing part about the letter.  Teisha wrote,  "I'll never forget you and I just wondered if YOU would be willing to teach me about the Lord?"    Would I????? You bet, Teisha!  Praise the Lord!    I guess I needed to give up alittle of what I cannot keep to gain alittle more of what I cannot lose!   Oh, her letter brought a welcome round of happy tears.