It Was A Tactic

“Deputy…it was…just….a…court…ah…you know….. 'tactic!'” whispered the tall, heavy set woman through the big, window glass partition that separated her from me and the Infirmary deputy.

“Ahhh! There you go! Tactic? What do you mean? You lied thinking that it would make the judge feel sorry for you so you can’t be here?” replied the deputy, in a louder tone.

“Guess what? I’m going to write what you just told me in front of your jacket when you go to court so the judge will know!”

She looked slightly nervous after that short conversation. She was refusing her morning accucheck earlier with me. After hearing the deputy, she took the tiny needle I offered and poked her finger and decided to check her blood sugar. Without saying anything. As if she was thinking what to do then when she had to face the judge.

Few days ago, she walked into the jail, claiming she was pregnant. When she first got to Intake, the Intake Nurse couldn’t get a urine sample to test her for pregnancy because she refused and said that she was not able to provide a sample at that time. As nurses had no choice but follow the protocols to keep the health care going. The nurse started her on pregnant diet where she would get an extra meal at night, that others would not get, except the insulin-dependent diabetics. A yellow band was placed on her left wrist to identify her as “pregnant” for those urgent needs or medical emergencies. She was placed on prenatal vitamins daily, which she swallowed every time it was given to her. She was given a special housing, on a bottom bunk, bottom tier, which was hard to find nowadays as more sickly inmates were being booked in.

Until the follow-up care during nursing sick call came.

“Will you please send Miss C. so I can test her if she’s really pregnant?” requested one of the LVN’s to the unit’s bubble [control].

“Oh yeah! She is sooooo big! Ready to pop anytime!” answered the one who took her phone call.

But the test was negative. A blood draw was done. It was negative. All the things being given to her were taken away from her. Because the result was clear. She was not pregnant!!!

That was what she was trying to explain to the deputy that morning. It was her tactic to lie, thinking that being in such a state would make the judge change his/her mind and give her compassion so that she would not spend her days in the jail for the crime she committed. But with her lying, she then knew, her sentence would be longer….

As true followers of the Lord, we don’t have to think about many tactics to change the Judge’s decision on our wrongdoings. He knows. Period. We can’t hide anything from Him. Our actions should be filled with light, not darkness. We are His light’s reflectors. So it is important that we must avoid the deeds of evil.

“Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are. And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds.” ~ Ephesians 5:10-13

We don’t need to lie to win God’s favor. He is God of compassion. He is God of love. He is God of mercy. He is God of grace. His great love for us led Him to sacrifice His Son. So we can live. Like children who imitate their parents, that’s the key. We must follow God’s example in everything that we do [Ephesians 5:1]….



Lord, help me to seek You first. Help me to start my day with You. Help me to end my day with You. Help me to know Your things Lord because I know that every time I discover one thing from You, I am deprived of the things of this world. And You don't belong here. As Your children, we don't belong here. Thank You Lord for everything that You have done. And continue to do for me [us]. Help me draw nearer to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.