The Great Paradox
Dear Champions,
The short excerpt is by the late Chuck Colson and is found in Joe Gibbs book Game Plan for Life. Early in his career Colson was special counsel to President Richard Nixon, and he served prison time for obstruction of justice related to the Watergate scandal. Colson founded Prison Fellowship Ministries after he was released from prison, and the Scripture is Luke 9:23-23 Then Jesus said to them all: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Looking back, I can now see clearly the two great lessons from my life. The first was the paradox I discovered in prison: If you really want to find your life, you have to lose it for Christ's sake. After years of success and power, clawing my way to the top, I ended up empty and desperate. But when I surrendered my life to Christ, I found in prison real peace, joy and purpose.
The second great lesson is also a paradox. God did not choose to use me when I was at the top. He used me when I was broken at the bottom. What I did not understand was that nothing is beyond the power of God. In fact, God chose me precisely when I was weakest and most broken. Why? Because then my own pride was out of the way and I could never glory in anything I did in the future. And I have not. God has used my life for His much greater purpose-to spread prison ministries around the world, far beyond anything I could ever dream of. Indeed, He uses the weak and broken to shame the wise and mighty.
This former Marine captain and powerful White House aide thought he did not need God; the convict washing socks in a prison laundry knew how wrong he was. The great paradox is that God will use your weakness, not your strength.
Champions, have a great week!-David Vining
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