Transformation

I saw something Sunday at church that just blew me away.

Two men spoke about their involvement in the prison ministry, Kairos, where they share cookies and Christ with inmates.

They showed a video of a Silent Choir in an Ohio prison. The choir consists of men who have been sentenced for 60+ years.

Watch this:



Kairos- My Redeemer Lives from MICHAEL ELLIS on Vimeo.

My first reaction?

I am not afraid of a single one of these men.

These men who are in prison for 60+ years.

These men exuded pure joy.

These men didn't utter a single word aloud

but conveyed to me a love of Christ 

that was as eloquent as any pastor I've ever heard.

I get to spend eternity with these men.

As tears welled up in my eyes

I thanked God.

Because ONLY God is capable of a transformation like that.

Only God gets credit for that type of tangible joy.

It made me think of a speaker we heard the night before

at an Ohio Sports Legends Dinner put on by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The speaker was former Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden.

He is funny. 

Bobby spoke of his 50-some years of coaching and his love of Christ and how more and more of his players at the end of his career didn't have daddies.

Daddies is exactly how he put it.

He's from Alabama and his accent was as sweet as the ice tea I'm sure he drinks.

He said he didn't think there was anything the government could do to fix it.

He said he didn't think there was anything we could do to fix it.

But Jesus.

Jesus was the answer.

The only one who could transform the life of one 

and therefore transform the lives of many.

Bobby brought up the often used analogy of how many seeds there are in an apple and asked the question,

 "How many apples are there in a seed?"

A man had been honored earlier in the evening who had been a great college football player, coach, husband, father and grandfather. 

But above all else, he had been a great witness for Christ.

He even got to speak at a Billy Graham event of 20,000 people when he was only 22 years old.

The man had passed away 10 years ago but his family accepted the award on his behalf.

Some 20 family members:  

wife, 

daughters, 

sons, 

grandchildren

flooded the stage.

Bobby Bowden referenced that scene of family when he spoke,

"That is how many apples are in a seed."

A seed that a man let God sow in him so long ago.

It was so inspiring 

Because ONLY God is capable of that.

Only God gets credit for the seed.

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