A Tribute to Chuck Colson

The Christian world lost a giant this past week with the home-going of Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship.  He was 80 years old and entered into glory following a brief illness.  In many ways Dr. Colson touched each of our lives influencing us to become better ambassadors for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

As I read the various news articles about his death, I was intrigued as to how Chuck Colson was presented by the mainstream media.  Such terms as "former Watergate conspirator" and "Nixon's hatchet-man" were used.  Yes, that was what Chuck Colson used to be.  He did not hide the fact that he was a man driven by power during those days of the Nixon Administration in the late 1960's into the early 1970's.  Yes, he did state on one occasion that he would do anything to help President Nixon to a second term, even if it meant killing his grandmother with an axe, thus the term "hatchet-man."  And, yes he was deeply involved in what proved to be one of the greatest scandals in American political history - Watergate.  But, like I said, that is what he was.  How the media missed relating who Chuck Colson had become.

After being convicted for the role he played in the Watergate scandal, Chuck Colson was sent to a Federal prison.  There he could have grown more calloused and cold-hearted, as many prisoners become.  But God had other plans and purposes for Mr. Colson.  While in prison and through the efforts of many, including that of the late Iowa Senator Harold Hughes, Chuck Colson came to know the love and forgiveness that come only through Jesus Christ.  His life was dramatically changed - by the way, isn't that what Jesus still does and He does it so well.  Upon his release from prison, God laid it upon Chuck Colson's heart to begin a ministry that would impact the lives of prisoners.  Thus was born Prison Fellowship, a ministry that literally began to change prisoners and prison systems around the world.  Through the program called Angel Tree, the families of prisoners were remembered at Christmas time with gifts given as if the incarcerated mom or dad had made the purchases.  Wholeness was restored to the families of prisoners.  And through Prison Fellowship a model program was created that not only taught prisoners useful skills, but focused upon the change of heart that was needed so that the ways of evil would not be perpetuated upon release from prison. 

Chuck Colson became one of the great Christian apologists of our time.  His book, "How Now Shall We Live?" is a classic that every believer should read, or that every church should consider offering as a small group study.  And his book, "Kingdoms in Conflict," helped me to better understand the clash between the spiritual and the natural worlds.  Stories told in that book will be forever remembered.  He was truly a man who understood the times and the culture and sought to bring truth to each situation. 

As I reflected upon how the world viewed Chuck Colson - the "hatchet-man" - I remembered how the world viewed Rahab.  You remember her story told for us in Joshua 2.  She was a harlot living in Jericho who came to believe in the God of the Hebrews.  At the risk of her own life, she hid the two spies sent by Joshua, and because of her faith she and her family were the only survivors of the destruction of Jericho.  Yet, how does the Bible remember her?  In Hebrews 11:31 - that great Hall of Faith chapter - we read, "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient."  And in James 2:25 - that great portion of Scripture that encouraged the demonstration of faith through works - we read, "In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off to a different location?"  It is not "Rahab the heroine."  It is not "Rahab the first Gentile convert in the Promised Land."  No, it is "Rahab the prostitute."  The world may remember us for what we were, but praise God, He knows us for what we are! 

As I close the blog today, I want to say "Happy Birthday" to the Jewish people upon the 64th birthday of the State of Israel.  I have been privileged to have been alive as long as the Jewish state as existed.  And I have been blessed to have visited Israel seven times and to have fallen in love with its people, its history, and its culture.  They have not been an easy 64 years, but God has been faithful and the people have been blessed.  May the favor of God be shown to them in increasing ways until the time of the Messiah comes.