Article February 24, 1997 Issue

What can I do?

Betty Spiers Sands

Some time ago The Christian Science Monitor ran a focus on the incarceration of juveniles. Juvenile Hall in my city was included in this coverage, and I asked God, "What can I do?" The answer soon came to call the facility and offer to teach a Bible class, and I was put to work the evening of my interview. So began a five-year challenging yet satisfying experience.

There were from ten to forty immates in my once-a-week class. I prepared lessons for distribution and gave away many paperback Bibles, in each of which I had marked refreshing and comforting verses. We read to each other these Bibles, some with great effort, in order to gain a semblance of Scriptural continuity. Questions were numerous, a wide range of topics was discussed, and many doubts and fears were put to rest. The young men recognized that when we don't do what's right, there is a price to pay. They also agreed that we must all go forward with lessons learned and heads held high. Forgiveness, especially self-forgiveness, was acknowledged as an important factor in moving beyond one's mistakes.

Once when discussing the Fifth Commandment—"Honour thy father and thy mother"—one boy piped up, "If I had not obeyed my parents, I wouldn't be here." The others were quietly concerned, but that led to a discussion of God as our real Father-Mother forever. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Miscellaneous Writings, "Honor thy Father and Mother, God. Continue in His love" (p. 154).

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