Corrie's Example

Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. Romans 12:17

I love to read true stories about WWII and the Holocaust. The strength and courage of the survivors I find fascinating. Corrie Ten Boom is one of the most amazing stories that I have read. Corrie Ten Boom was an author and great motivational speaker from Holland. She was arrested for hiding Dutch Jews from the Nazis. Corrie, her father and sister were all arrested and sent to concentration camps. Corrie was the only one to survive. She shocked the world with her stories of the horror of the war and life in the camps but what was even more shocking was her ability to forgive her tormentors and captors. Corrie wrote, “healing is linked to forgiveness.” Why should I forgive? Because God wants me to, it is the best thing for me and because healing is not far behind.

Corrie was speaking about salvation, God’s love and His forgiveness when she came face to face with her tormentor, a guard at Ravensbruck. She was not only facing him but he was telling her that since that time he had been saved and was asking her to forgive him also. It was undoubtedly the hardest thing she would ever have to do. She tells in her book that she remembered all the times God had forgiven her and she knew God was expecting her to forgive also. “’Jesus Help me!” she prayed. “I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’” Corrie goes on to tell that as she stuck out her had to shake the guard’s hand a warmth spread over her whole body and she began to cry. She tells us that she realized in that moment it was not her power to love and forgive this man but the power of the Holy Spirit. Corrie’s heart was changed through the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

Pastor Julia Scott