A Christian Governor’s Sacrifice

(from the book “Faith on the Line” by Chuck Colson)

(Former Minnesota Governor Al Quie)

Next to my conversion, the most powerful spiritual experience of my life was when, in prison, I learned that a member of my prayer group(Al Quie)-who happened then to be the 18th ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, now the former governor of Minnesota-had asked the President if he could serve out my remaining sentence so I could be with my wife and kids, who were experiencing serious problems.

That is real Christianity.

-C.Colson
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RELATED ARTICLE 1
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/04/21/former-minnesota-governor-remembers-watergate-figure-charles-colson/

“…Al Quie, a former Minnesota governor, remembers not liking Colson very much at first.

‘I was in Congress at that time, and I refused to go to any meetings in the White House where he(Colson) was present, because I knew the kind of monkey-business he was up to,’ Quie said.

Colson, with his trademark horn-rimmed glasses, was known as the ‘evil genius’ of the Nixon administration…

Quie said he recalled when a friend of his called to say that Colson had come to believe in Jesus Christ. That friend asked if there was anybody who could mentor him down in Washington.

‘I said yes only because about two and a half years earlier, I had an encounter with the Lord and He said that I shouldn’t turn my back on people who committed crimes,’ Quie said.”

RELATED ARTICLE 2
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/04/21/remembering-charles-chuck-colson/

…”Colson was released early from prison because of some problems with his son and because former Minnesota Governor Al Quie offered to serve out the rest of his term for him so he could address those problems.

Apparently Quie found a precedent in an old law that permitted under certain circumstances, an innocent person to take the place of a guilty person and pay the rest of his penalty. Quie never had to go to prison, but his offer of personal sacrifice remind one of that central Christian message: an innocent man lays down his life for a guilty man.”

Church Response to the New York Homeless

(from the book “Faith on the Line” by Chuck Colson)

The church faced its test in New York City several years ago, when 36,000 homeless men and women were wandering the city’s streets at night.

Mayor Edward Koch appealed to religious leaders for help: If each one of New York’s 3,500 churches would care for just 10 homeless people, the desperate human problem could be quickly solved-and without huge government expense.

The New York Times reported the religious leader’s responses. One Protestant representative was concerned about protocol: “the mayor never mentioned this to me… Nobody in his office called me of this.” A Catholic spokesman sidestepped. A Jewish leader explained that many of the synagogues would not have money for increased heating bills.

The Times concluded: The church leaders would need more time to study the mayor’s proposal. There was a disturbing silence from evangelicals.

One can almost imagine how it might sound on that day promised in Matthew 25 when our Lord says, “ I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in”. And the religious leaders will respond, “but Lord, You didn’t give us time to study the proposal.”

I don’t mean to belittle our brothers in New York; the issue is complicated and government cannot immediately transfer to the church full responsibility for the needy.

But the sorry response should make us ask ourselves some tough questions. Have we become so caught up in doing our own thing, organizing vast publishing, church and parachurch empires, that we have lost sight of our biblical mission?

Church bureaucracies can become as bogged down as government bureaucracies, so wrapped up in writing pious statements of faith, issuing press releases, and maintaining property that they forget their reason for existence: to proclaim the Good News and obey the clear commands of the Scriptures.

The Bible requires justice and righteousness from government, but it also demands that we care about our neighbors, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and visit the sick and those in prison. That’s us our Lord is talking to, and we don’t discharge that obligation by paying our taxes or dropping dimes in charity boxes. We discharge it by doing the Word of God.

If we fail even the simple test of responding to human needs in our own community, what possible claim will we have to assume a role of genuine moral leadership in society? We dare not fail.

-Colson

Greatest Humiliation(by Chuck Colson)

(from the book “Loving God” by Chuck Colson)

“I realized it was NOT my success God had used to enable me to help those in prison. No, the real legacy of my life was my BIGGEST FAILURE— that I, was an EX-CONVICT.

My greatest humiliation–being sent to prison–was the beginning of God’s greatest use of my life. He CHOSE the ONE EXPERIENCE in which I could NOT GLORY FOR HIS GLORY.

It is NOT what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn’t want our success; He WANTS US. He doesn’t demand our achievements; He demands our obedience.

The kingdom of God is a kingdom of PARADOX—Victory comes through defeat; healing through brokenness; finding self through losing self.”

-Colson