Preparing for Suffering

The holocaust was a terrible time in human history.  It represents a time of immense suffering and persecution.  It also, however, is quite unique in lots of ways, and presents opportunities for us to gain insight into a world that we would otherwise (God willing) never know. 

What I mean is that even today there are people suffering as the Jews suffered during the holocaust.  In the years since WWII there have been many groups of peple who have suffered terribly and it is supposed that tens of millions have died at the hands of government regimes.  It's just that we don't hear from them.  These people that are persecuted usually have no affluence or influence before the persecution starts, and so after it is finished, those that are left alive return to their lives of no affluence and influence and they still have no voice that the world can hear. 

This is not so of Jewish people in WWII.  They were taken from all positions in society, even those of affluence and influence and suffered terribly as that was taken away.  After the Nazi regime fell apart, though, they were (mostly, not always) allowed to return to their stations in society.  This has led to us having a wealth of literature through which we can gain insight into how people have borne a time of terrible trials and suffering.

One such person who has written about her life and experiences who I very much enjoy reading is a Chrstian lady, Corrie ten Boom.  She grew up in Holland and lived in the same house all of her life until the day she was imprisoned by the Nazis and held in 2 concentration camps.  She has an amazing story and I encourage you to read it.

The person that I have been considering lately in her story, though, is her father, Casper ten Boom.  He was a man who lived a life devoted to Christ and was a pillar in his community.  He prayed with his family before and after each meal and he read the Bible each night straight after dinner no matter who was or was not there.  He tried to live a life pleasing to God and Corrie always describes him as having time to spend with his wife and family.  When the Nazis occupied Holland it was very difficult for men like him.  He resolved never to compromise God's command to love his neighbour and didn't even hesitate to use his house as a refuge to hide Jews.  From the time that Jews were being deported from Holland until the time he was imprisoned they always had Jewish people living in their house.  He never turned anyone away.  When he and his daughters were arrested for housing Jews and conspiring against the Nazis the Jews hidden in his house remained safe and he and his daughters never gave them up.  This cost Casper ten Boom his life.

I am interested, then, in what gives a man the courage to be able to withstand this kind of persecution.  Certainly, it is by God's grace that men such as Casper ten Boom were able to stand against an army.  But I think that od is a God of means and when I learn about the life that Casper lived before Nazi occupation, it seems to me that he was preparing himself for any eventuality to be able to stand firm for the gospel no matter the face of his enemy. 

So it is that I am left to ask myself: 
Does my life now look like the kind of life that is being prepared to stand for Christ no matter the adversary that comes against me?
Or, like many Christian people in WWII, does my life look like I am only prepared to stand for Christ when it is relatively easy. 

These are difficult questions to ask, and if weare honest with ourselves, should probably lead to increased discipline in our Christian walk.