Honoring Lives That Brought the Gospel to Countless Souls
Isaiah 52:7 is one of the most inspiring verses in Holy Scripture: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” In recent days, two people passed away, each of whom, in their own unique ways, had “beautiful feet.”
Phil Robertson shot to celebrity status through the unlikely medium of reality television. “Duck Dynasty” showcased the beards and crazy Louisiana lives of the Robertson family and their multi-million-dollar duck call empire. America found the family’s innocent quirkiness delightful. Unlike other reality TV families, their stability was reassuring.
Mom, dad, uncle, sons, in-laws, and grandkids all seemed to genuinely care for each other. They did not flaunt their wealth or abandon the values that preceded it. Instead, the Robertsons prayed together, played together, ate dinner together, and went to church together.
Now, I have no personal knowledge of Phil Robertson’s feet, but it is likely that they were, shall we say, well-curated by the woods and the swamps he spent his life walking. However, if Isaiah is correct, they were beautiful. Though his early years of addiction and adultery are well documented, Robertson’s life was transformed by Christ at age 28, and there was rarely a moment afterward that he wasn’t sharing the Good News, whether with friends and neighbors, American presidents, his TV audience, or huge crowds.
Another person with beautiful feet was Peggy Powell, who passed away back in April. Peggy’s quiet, steady love for Christ and others reached an immeasurable number of people. As her obituary declared:
Peggy used her gift of teaching in many ways in their church’s college, junior and high school departments, and at Vacation Bible School and Backyard Bible Clubs. Her Bible stories told with a flannel board were legendary. Most significantly, in 1969 the Powells helped to start Abilene Young Life, a ministry that shares the Gospel with teenagers, which is still going strong.
At her memorial service, many people shared how, early in their marriage, Peggy and her husband refused to buy furniture for their home until they could start a Young Life club. Peggy prayed for the lost, literally by the millions. She lived a life perhaps best described as a “long obedience in the same direction.”
Phil Robertson was famous, but the work of Christ in his life was far more significant than duck hunting or reality TV. Peggy’s life of quiet faithfulness affected thousands, from kids and grandkids to neighbors and relatives to the young and the old. Like Robertston, her dramatically different life was also marked by Christ. Both these saints committed their lives, and their beautiful feet, to “publishing salvation” to others. Their faith is now sight. Thanks be to God.
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Photo Courtesy: ©Instagram/Official Phil Robertson
Published Date: June 13, 2025
John Stonestreet is President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and radio host of BreakPoint, a daily national radio program providing thought-provoking commentaries on current events and life issues from a biblical worldview. John holds degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL) and Bryan College (TN), and is the co-author of Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of CrosswalkHeadlines.
BreakPoint is a program of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. BreakPoint commentaries offer incisive content people can't find anywhere else; content that cuts through the fog of relativism and the news cycle with truth and compassion. Founded by Chuck Colson (1931 – 2012) in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. Today, you can get it in written and a variety of audio formats: on the web, the radio, or your favorite podcast app on the go.
