God don't make no junk
I was first drawn to that slogan more than 40 years ago when I spotted the words on a poster, obviously designed by a child with crayons, on the wall of a social worker who specialized in helping mentally challenged children. I don't know where the saying began. Ethel Waters is among those credited with first making the statement. But, I woke in the middle of the night full of HFP ideas---as so often happens---just last week, and I thought of this statement. It's the message that HFP must confey to its supporters at the beginning of a new year. It's the message that HFP must convey to its friends behind bars. Many people on the outside believe that prisoners are somehow in a different category of humanity. But God don't make no junk. Many prisoners feel that because they've failed, time and again, there's no hope for them. But God don't make no junk.
I've been trying to figure out who can be a help to one of our prisoners in recent days. He's so sick. He needs an organ transplant to live, but prisoners may not have transplants. He's so lonely. He was an only child, his mother died, his father suffered a stroke, he has burned bridges with what little family is left and with friends. If he were to be released he has no place to go. He's so discouraged. He would like to turn his life around, and I really believe he's doing it. But it's so late. There's no one to turn it around for except himself...and I'm not minimizing that. It's just that, he has no place to turn, no one to turn to, and he's finally becoming aware of that fact.
But then, he's got to hear my message of today. God don't make no junk.
Since I started a Bible-reading program that covers the whole Bible in a year, I have discovered such rich verses in the old testament. And one goes right along with this junk statement. Jeremiah 1:5: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...
Thanks for being in our corner through thick and thin, dear HFP supporter...God don't make no junk.
Take heart, dear HFP prisoner/friend, there's hope...even for you. Because, you see, God don't make no junk! Never did. Never will.
I've been trying to figure out who can be a help to one of our prisoners in recent days. He's so sick. He needs an organ transplant to live, but prisoners may not have transplants. He's so lonely. He was an only child, his mother died, his father suffered a stroke, he has burned bridges with what little family is left and with friends. If he were to be released he has no place to go. He's so discouraged. He would like to turn his life around, and I really believe he's doing it. But it's so late. There's no one to turn it around for except himself...and I'm not minimizing that. It's just that, he has no place to turn, no one to turn to, and he's finally becoming aware of that fact.
But then, he's got to hear my message of today. God don't make no junk.
Since I started a Bible-reading program that covers the whole Bible in a year, I have discovered such rich verses in the old testament. And one goes right along with this junk statement. Jeremiah 1:5: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...
Thanks for being in our corner through thick and thin, dear HFP supporter...God don't make no junk.
Take heart, dear HFP prisoner/friend, there's hope...even for you. Because, you see, God don't make no junk! Never did. Never will.
Comments