81 years ago in Nazi occupied Netherlands, at 12.30pm, the Gestapo (German Secret police) entered the watch shop of the Ten Boom family and smashed their way upstairs into the family home. Forcing an ill, 51 year old Corrie out of her bed and dragging her into the living room, proceeded to savagely beat her and her 59 year old sister Betsie in front of her father Casper, brother Willem and nephew Peter.
Despite the blows, the Ten Boom sisters kept quiet, refusing to give up the location of the Jews they were accused of hiding. After the entire Ten Boom family were arrested and their house searched, the Jewish refugees miraculously remained undiscovered, hiding for over 47 hours in the dark, secret room in Corrie’s bedroom.
The Gestapo offered Corrie’s 84-year-old father his freedom—if he promised to stop helping Jews. Emboldened by his faith in Christ, he refused. Replying “If I go home today, tomorrow I will open my door again to anyone in need.” He died 10 days later in prison.
Corrie and her sister were sent to a brutal concentration camp for women. Despite extreme cruelty, they decided to minister to fellow prisoners, leading secret worship gatherings and sharing the light of the Gospel in one of the darkest and most evil places on earth. Until her death just 4 months before the Allies liberated the camp, her sister frequently encouraged Corrie to forgive and pray for their captors, telling her
“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”.
Miraculously, Corrie was released due to a clerical error, just one week before all women her age were due to be executed. After the war, Corrie dedicated her life to teaching the love and forgiveness of Christ with all who would listen. Several years later, while she was speaking in a church in Munich, a man approached her, and she immediately recognised him as one of the cruelest guards at the concentration camp.
“I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well.”
he said,
“Will you forgive me?”
Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.
I tried to smile. I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.
In that moment, a battle raged inside; memories of beatings, starvation, and her sister's death flooded her mind. Her heart screamed
no. But Corrie remembered Christ’s command
"If you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matt. 6:15). She prayed silently, remembering Philippians 4:13, asking Jesus for help to forgive.
As an act of will, she forced her hand into his. As she did this, Corrie later wrote, “The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.
‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried.
‘With all my heart!’”.
Corrie discovered that the healing of the world hinges not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness. When God tells us to forgive and love our enemies, ‘He gives, along with the command, the love itself.’
The Ten Boom family stood against great evil, rescuing 800 Jews from the Nazis because they knew their strength came from Christ alone.
The evils of today might seem like insurmountable foes, but we must remember that the Nazis, too, seemed insurmountable - until they weren't.
These evils
will
fall, but we need the Ten Booms of today who will be strengthened by Christ alone, not looking to the size of the evil, but looking instead to the size of our God. Those who will look evil in the eye and say “not on my watch”. Those who will stand, emboldened by the gospel, to reach the lost and affect every sphere of culture for the Kingdom of God.
We need these types of people today more than ever.
Will you be that person?
The 1Hope4America Team