“May your love abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.”
Philippians 1:9-10
Carlos hated God for allowing his father to be murdered by Castro’s forces in Cuba. Carlos believed that to survive from then on, he’d need money and power, two things he pursued in the world of drug cartels. Eventually, he landed in prison.
Still hating God and convinced that he was smarter than his prison’s chaplain, Carlos attended Bible studies in order to prove the chaplain wrong and embarrass him in front of other inmates.
Even so, the chaplain’s gospel message of the love and grace of God for sinners broke through to Carlos’ heart. He was redeemed by the Spirit of God and soon became a student in our prison seminary. I interviewed him shortly before his release after serving 32 years behind bars. “What are the most important things you’ve learned here?” I asked.
“I’ve learned to know a lot about God and a lot about Jesus’ love. That’s what I’m taking with me when I walk out the gate—think like a theologian, but love like Jesus.” We can grow increasingly in knowledge but also in tenderness and compassion for others.
Still hating God and convinced that he was smarter than his prison’s chaplain, Carlos attended Bible studies in order to prove the chaplain wrong and embarrass him in front of other inmates.
Even so, the chaplain’s gospel message of the love and grace of God for sinners broke through to Carlos’ heart. He was redeemed by the Spirit of God and soon became a student in our prison seminary. I interviewed him shortly before his release after serving 32 years behind bars. “What are the most important things you’ve learned here?” I asked.
“I’ve learned to know a lot about God and a lot about Jesus’ love. That’s what I’m taking with me when I walk out the gate—think like a theologian, but love like Jesus.” We can grow increasingly in knowledge but also in tenderness and compassion for others.
Scripture Focus
Philippians 1:9-11; 2:1-4
Insight
To think like a theologian and to love like Jesus, let us pray like Paul; to abound in love, knowledge, and depth of insight.
Bible In A Year
- Leviticus 11-12
- Psalm 51
- Luke 15
