Who Said It
Roy Borges

A messed-up childhood led this Latino to brushes with the law, reform school, and prison. Now serving a 45-year sentence, Roy has won a Golden Gloves lightweight division boxing title behind bars. In 1989, attending a chapel service to escape his crowded dorm cell, he heard an ex-con tell the gospel story, and responded. Roy, now a published author, still struggles with anger, stubbornness, and submission to sometimes arbitrary prison regulations.

What He Said
The Pot Room

My first job assignment in prison was to the kitchen, washing pots and pans. I didn't like it. I wanted a job in the library where I could do what I like—reading and writing. The way I saw it, I had only two options: play sick or refuse to work.

Playing sick got me a couple of aspirins. But before I could use my second option, which would have landed me in solitary confinement for 30 days, a friend intervened and encouraged me to consider a third option: work in the pot room with the right attitude, then watch for positive results.

After reading in Colossians [3:23], "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord," I decided to take his advice. Soon, working in the pot room became a joy. I even began to sing songs I found in the front pages of my New Testament. Finally, since I'd done such a good job in the pot room, my supervisor granted my request to work in the library.

Prayer for the Week

Lord … let Thy love fill and rule my soul in all those places, companies, and employments to which Thou callest me. Amen. —John Wesley

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