Finding Spiritual Guides:

I have recently finished a book about Corrie Ten Boom called, “The Watchmaker’s Daughter,” by Larry Loftis.  I have learned about Corrie Ten Boom before, through church groups as well as “7 Women and the Secret to their Greatness,” by Eric Metaxes.  She is a woman I do look up to, and I am glad I learned a lot about her through this book.  I hope to read her story in the book she had a hand in developing called, “My Hiding Place.”  

I will give a very brief summary of Corrie Ten Boom’s life.  I will not serve her life justice, but I will give some of the main highlights.  Corrie first was very driven in learning her family’s work of watchmaking.  She became the first woman licensed watchmaker in Holland.  Eventually her family and their business became not only a place to have watches fixed, but also a haven for many jews and divers during World War II.  They were able to save many people through this work.  However, she and her family were outed by someone else and sent to prison.  They would be sent to a work concentration camp, eventually she and her sister would go to Ravensbrück, a concentration camp that many would describe as hell on earth with security guards of extreme hostility.  At this place, her sister would pass and Corrie would become very frail and sick. 

She would survive, but her work was not done.  She started two main organizations and ministries when she was out of prison camp and back to her strength.  The first was a place for rehabilitation for those who had also just gotten out of the camps.  They needed a place for healing.  They had just gone through something traumatic, and they needed to spend some time before they were ready to reenter society. Eventually she would be able to open a space where there used to be a concentration camp for this same experience.  This is using a place that was meant for evil and turning it into a place of good. Then she also would open the Beje, her old home, to those in Holland who had turned their fellow man and brother to the Germans.  She knew they were being harassed in the streets, and she wanted to extend an olive branch of forgiveness to the ones who had hurt her country.   

Her main message was forgiveness.  Forgive the soldiers who had tortured them and their loved ones, forgive those who had turned them into the camps, and forgive those who were not willing to apologize for any crimes they had done.  She would speak on this forgiveness, but she would also act it out when she had an encounter with a former S.S. officer at “Ravensbrück” who had been so cruel to her and her sister.  He asked her for forgiveness and she was able to grant it.  She also wrote a letter to the man who had turned her family into the authorities and therefore being the reason that she and her whole family were in a prison camp.  She wrote to him saying she forgave him and told him the lessons she had learned in the prison camp were a great blessing.  

There is so much more I could write.  However, even with all of her accomplishments and her ministries, something I found interesting about her life is how often she was very inspired by the people in her family.  She learned so much from her sister and her father.  She looked up to them throughout the whole time they were alive.  Corrie was fearful when her father passed she didn’t have a spiritual guide anymore, until she discovered her sister, Betsy, was her new spiritual guide.  In fact, Betsie was the one to remind Corrie to forgive those who have tortured them.  Betsie would often find something to praise God for.  One example of this is shortly after Betsie and Corrie made it to Ravensbrück, “‘Do you know what I’m thankful for?’ Betsie suddenly asked. ‘I’m thankful that Father is in heaven today.’ Betsie. Only she could find joy in a time like this.(page 201)” Betsie was also the driving force behind Corrie’s later ministries.  She had the vision and the inspiration.  She died in the camps before she could see them to fruition, but Corrie was able to live out her visions.  

I believe we can take a lot of inspiration from this tale for many reasons.  For one obvious reason, we can always strive to have courageous forgiveness like Corrie.  Corrie showed courage by being willing to hide Jews and other people from the Gestapo or the German officials.  She also showed bravery in boldly looking out for local Hollanders who were once affiliated with the German military after the war was over.  She wanted them to be forgiven as well.  That takes both courage and a great willingness to forgive.  

However, Corrie’s story shows the importance of spiritual guides.  I am very aware that people are fickle, and they will make mistakes, but there is still power in being able to find inspiration from others.  This can even be multiple people who have qualities that we would like to better possess.  I know that I can easily fall into jealousy of others’ spiritual gifts as opposed to wanting to learn from them to have a better spiritual gift in that area.  One verse that I believe really showcases this belief is Psalm 27: 13 which says, “I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” There are a lot of things in this world that are not good and not on the path towards God, but then there are those items, especially those people who have characteristics that God would like us to possess.  We can take that time to appreciate the good things of the world and the beauty throughout. 

Throughout my blogs and challenges I try to highlight the importance of talking over the topic at hand with someone.  When we share what we are learning with someone else, it just gives us more opportunities to grow together and to have more people to look to for inspiration and as a spiritual guide.  My challenge for you this week is to spend time thinking about who your spiritual warrior is or are. Then send them a thank you for being the spiritual warrior in your life.