Paul was a young man who volunteered his time to help out at a holiday party for inmates at the penitentiary in his state. It was a prison for lifers. People who committed crimes so grievous that there would be no chance for parole.
One of the inmates, who was around the same age as Paul, thanked him for coming.
“I look forward to this party every year. Any time I get to have an interaction with someone from the outside means a lot to me.”
The prisoner had no family to visit him.
Sadly, his story was a typical one. He had a mother with a drug problem. She was just a young teen at the time of his birth. There was no father in the picture and few relatives. He grew up in the foster system. In fact, the young man didn’t really grow up at all until incarceration.
Paul listened to his brief tragic story and thought: What if I didn’t have two loving parents? What if I didn’t have a good education? What if I didn’t have a church community who cared about me? What if I didn’t know how to love God?
Was it Paul’s good luck, or can we call it God’s blessing that he should stand in his own shoes and not those of the inmate?
This holiday season, keep in mind that there’s someone who has it worse than you. Pray for that someone and give thanks to God for all the blessings you have.
Be a blessing by helping others and extending kindness.
See all the blessings God has given you and be a source for good, not only this time of year but all seasons, year after every blessed year.
This is based on a true account.