When fear and insecurity fill our hearts, we respond with selfish indifference to the needs of our neighbors. But when faith rules our lives, when we have wrestled with God and found Him true, we become secure in His ability to care for us, and we cease to doubt and fear.
As president and CEO of Prison Fellowship Ministries, it’s a big part of my job to invite people to partner with us in ministry, whether that means volunteering to go behind bars and lead a Bible study, rearranging the family budget to make a financial gift, or committing to regular prayer for inmates and their families. I get a thrill every time our partners make the leap from fear to faith, trusting God to meet their needs when they make sacrifices for the “least of these.”
When we have journeyed with God and have experienced His power, grace, and forgiveness for ourselves, our love for our neighbors will pour out of what we have been given, knowing God will replenish it continually. Love that comes from this depth of faith has the power of God. It transforms lives. It penetrates defenses. This love is not just a reflexive act of charity. It is the expression of a heart that is secure in the knowledge of God’s love. When we have felt God’s love and know He is capable in all things, we come alongside others with a sense of well-being that brings them the same security and hope.
Every day, Prison Fellowship volunteers and partners are making the leap from fear to faith, responding to God’s love by meeting the needs of inmates and their families. Will you jump with us?