911 - Five Crowns
Friends: The test of a Christian isn’t being forgiven; we already are. The test is in forgiving others. Here’s one for the books.
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Spirituality
Column #911
April 30,
2024
Common
Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
Five
Crowns
By
Bob Walters
“To
be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the
inexcusable in you.” – C.S. Lewis
We’re
going to hit many bases today and it all begins with the fact that twice in the
past week I’ve stumbled onto accounts of WWII holocaust survivor Corrie ten
Boom.
Corrie’s
is a familiar name in evangelical circles, though I must admit until this week
I only knew her name, not of her family’s – and her own – heroics and courage
defending Jews in the face of Nazi extermination. They hid Jews in their
Christian home in Haarlem, Netherlands, and her father, mother, and sister died
in Nazi death camps.
Corrie
survived, preached Christ the rest of her life, and wrote The Hiding Place.
After
the war ten Boom traveled Europe – including post-war Germany – and the world,
including several appearances with Billy Graham Crusades in America and
elsewhere, with a Christian witness of hope, peace, survival, fortitude, and
forgiveness.
Once,
after Corrie spoke at a church in post-war Germany, a man approached her with
glowing admiration and a confession of deep contrition in his new life now ablaze
in Christ. Corrie froze; she recognized
him as a death camp guard, a Nazi charged with observing the women’s showers
where Corrie had been held captive.
In
that moment of paralyzing non-forgiveness, she called on Christ to release her
from her hate. Upon finally grasping the man’s hand extended in apology, Corrie
felt the Spirit travel through her body and arm when she clasped the man’s hand,
giving her peace … and forgiveness she thought she’d never bestow. Such is the
power of Christ.
Her
“forgiveness” story is one for all time. She became great friends with Cliff
Barrows, Billy’s trusted friend and companion on countless Crusades for Jesus.
Upon her death in 1983, Barrows wrote a devotional tribute to her on …
“… the five crowns this little woman wore in her life
and ministry:
·
The crown of
righteousness from 1 Timothy 4 given to those who love His appearing.
·
The crown of
exultation from 1 Thessalonians 2, the soul winner’s crown.
·
The crown of
life from James 1:2, reserved for those in great trials of faith.
·
The martyr’s
crown for those who died for Christ.
·
And the crown
of glory from 1 Peter 5 reserved for the under shepherds of the flock who lead
and teach what the Bible has to say.
“Five magnificent crowns worn by prisoner #66730 who
Christ forgave and to whom He gave a limitless capacity to forgive others.
“C.S. Lewis got it right. ‘To be Christian,’ he said,
‘means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in
you.’”
This
quote comes from my friend Ed Simcox’s new book, He Leadeth Me, a truly
remarkable collection of devotions, meditations, prayers, and stories of his Christian
life steeped in service, reflection, and leadership. I’ll talk more about Ed’s book next week.
Also, First
Things magazine last week posted a review
(FT link) of a new biography about ten Boom, The Watchmaker's Daughter:
The True Story of World War II Heroine Corrie ten Boom
by Larry Loftis. Two “ten Boom” sightings in one week.
Unlike many of you who know the story, I had previously
known little about ten Boom. But those “five crowns” were assuredly well placed
in the soul of this saint.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com)
notes another Netherlands’ WWII heroine, Anne Frank.