Corrie Ten Boom—Protecting the Innocent by Closing a Door

Cornelia “Corrie” ten Boom was born in the Netherlands in 1892.  Her family was Christians.  Her father was a watchmaker and she became the first licensed female watchmaker of the Netherlands.  They not only walked the talk but lived the talk of a Christian life.  Corrie and her sister worked with young people having Bible Studies.  Corrie also started a special group for kids that had special needs.  They continued doing work by helping take care of the kids of missionaries from Indonesia.  In WWII the Nazis invaded the Netherlands and took over the country in 1940.  The Nazis then proceeded to round up the Jewish people in the community.

The ten Boom’s continued their service to the community by taking in Jewish members who were seeking shelter.  The family built a secret room in Corrie’s bedroom.  They were able to help hundreds of people including babies who were to be killed at an orphanage.  Eventually the family’s house was raided.  Corrie and her family were arrested.  Her father would die soon after being her arrested.

Corrie and her sister would end up going to a concentration within Germany.  Her sister died, but not before she told Corrie that God had told her both would be released before the end of the year.  Her sister was giving several visions before her death.  One was of a house that they would have where people could come who were dealing with the consequences of the war.  A few weeks after her sister’s death Corrie’s number was called.  She did not know what it meant.  She was afraid that they may be taking her to the gas chamber.  Instead she was taken into a room and released.

After the war Corrie established a rehabilitation home.  In which refugees and those that sided with the Nazis were both given a place to heal and to recover.  She went on to write several books.  She became a public speaker and visited over 60 countries in the world.

We can all learn to live the walk of a Christian.  Imagine the bravery to open your life to people who were considering fugitives.  Knowing at any time you could suffer.  Going as far as building a safe place for them to hide in a door which was closed would keep the innocent safe, but at the same time you would be out in the opening.  We need to always help those that we can.  We need to remember there may be times that we have to close doors to follow God.