prison in 1921, she was a young mother of three daughters. Everybody
warned her never to step foot inside the walls. But she didn't listen
to them. When the first prison basketball game was held, in she went,
three girls in tow, and took a seat in the bleachers with the inmates.
When she heard that one convicted murderer was blind, she taught him
Braille so he could read. Upon learning of inmates who were hearing
impaired, she studied sign language so they could communicate. For
sixteen years Catherine Lawes softened the hard hearts of the men of
Sing Sing.
The prisoners knew something was wrong when Lewis Lawes didn't report
to work. Quickly the word spread that Catherine had been killed in a
car accident. The following day as the acting warden took his early
morning walk, he noticed a large gathering at the main gate. Every
prisoner pressed against the fence. Eyes awash with tears. Faces
solemn. No one spoke or moved.
The warden made a remarkable decision. “All right, men, you can go.
Just be sure to check in tonight.” These were America's hardest
criminals. But the warden unlocked the gate for them, and they walked
without escort or guard to the home of Catherine Lawes to pay their
last respects. And to a man, each one returned.
Real love changes people.
Didn't God's love change you? Weren't you, like the prisoner, blind?
You couldn't see beyond the grave. You couldn't see your purpose in
life until he showed you. And you couldn't hear either. You'd never
heard of such love and kindness, and you never would have heard of
it, but God spoke in your language. And, most of all, he set you
free. You are free! Free to run away. Free to harden your heart. But
you don't. Or if you do, you come back. Why?
Because you've never been loved like this before.
____________________________________
From A Love Worth Giving
Copyright 2002, Max Lucado
http://maxlucado.com/shop/detail2.php?pid=B150H
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