STUFF ABOUT GOD AND CHRISTIANITY | Dr. Ron Braley
So far, you’ve met Justin Martyr, Perpetua, John Hus, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Thomas Aquinas, John of the Cross, Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf and John Wesley.
Here, I’ll introduce three wonderful examples of Christlikeness: John Chrysostom, Corrie ten Boom and Mother Teresa — faithful believers who practiced justice, mercy and incredible love.
John Chrysostom (c. 347–407) “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.”
As archbishop of Constantinople, Chrysostom spoke with remarkable clarity about Scripture, challenging all to live faithfully. He criticized greed, injustice and corruption, insisting that true worship must be expressed in generosity toward the poor. His fearless preaching earned him many enemies among political and religious leaders, ultimately leading to his exile.
Even so, his sermons continued to spread throughout the Christian world. More than 16 centuries later, his biblical teaching is still widely read, and Eastern Christian churches still regularly celebrate the Divine Liturgy that bears his name.
Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983)
“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
Corrie ten Boom grew up above her family’s watch shop in Haarlem, Netherlands, where faith was woven into daily life.
During the Nazi occupation, that faith compelled the ten Boom family to hide Jewish neighbors in a secret room built into their home. When the family was betrayed, Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. Betsie died there, but Corrie survived and emerged with an extraordinary message—not bitterness, but forgiveness.
She traveled the world, sharing the message that God’s love is stronger than hatred. Her memoir, “The Hiding Place,” has inspired generations with its unforgettable testimony to courage, compassion and the transforming power of God’s grace.
Mother Teresa (1910–1997)
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
Known worldwide simply as Mother Teresa, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu left her home in Albania as a young woman to become a missionary in India. While teaching in Calcutta, she felt God calling her to serve “the poorest of the poor.”
She founded the Missionaries of Charity, whose members cared for dying, abandoned, orphaned or diseased people. Her life showed that genuine love is expressed through humble acts of service, one person at a time.
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and later canonized by the Catholic Church, Mother Teresa continues to inspire people around the world to see Christ in those most easily overlooked.
I pray you’re enjoying learning about these Christian giants who exemplify the Christian faith and serve as role models.
In the final part of our six-part series, I’ll present Catherine of Siena, a wonderful Christian woman who has taught many, including me, to find joy in any situation.
Until then, get the faith. Walk in the faith. Keep the faith.
Blessings and peace.
Braley, a Central Texas minister, Air Force veteran, husband and father, earned a Master of Divinity degree from Regent University in 2018 and a Doctor of Ministry from the same school in 2021.
