Dan Coats: “Mike Gerson said in his column: Chuck led a movement of volunteers attempting to love some of their least lovable…”

“Mike Gerson said in his column: Chuck led a movement of volunteers attempting to love some of their least lovable neighbors. This inversion of social priorities--putting the last first--is the best evidence of a faith that is more than a crutch, opiate, or self-help program. It is the hallmark of authentic religion--and it is the vast, humane contribution of Chuck Colson. Chuck Colson's remarkable life story can serve as a guiding light and provide all of us the courage and the strength to overcome whatever adversity we may face in our own lives. May we remember the example of Chuck Colson and the words prayed so often by my very good friend: Please show me how You want me to live and give me the power to live that way. Exhibit 1 [From the Washington Post, Apr. 22, 2012] Charles Colson Found Freedom in Prison (By Michael Gerson) Charles W. Colson--who spent seven months in prison for Watergate-era offenses and became one of the most influential social reformers of the 20th century--was the most thoroughly converted person I've ever known. Following Chuck's recent death, the news media--with short attention spans but long memories--have focused on the Watergate portion of his career. They preserve the image of a public figure at the moment when the public glare was harshest--a picture taken when the flash bulbs popped in 1974. But I first met Chuck more than a decade after he left the gates of Alabama's Maxwell prison.…”