The Hiding Place: Forgiveness for Our Enemies

Kaboom! That was the first sound of war in Holland for the Ten Boom family. At times of war, we think of the people declaring it as the worst people in the entire world, even if there have been more evil things done to other people in the past or even at the present moment. But while we may pin the blemish on the people of the world for the war, Christ forgives people of what they did no matter what they did; as long as they repent of their sins and trust in Christ, they will be received. We must follow this example of what Christ did for us and be willing to forgive the people who have harmed us in the past. If we hold a grudge, or never let go of a past conflict, relations with that person and with God will grow much slower.

Forgiveness played a very prominent role in the story of The Hiding Place. The first time that we saw forgiveness in The Hiding Place is when Casper Ten Boom (father) hired a German watchmaker named Otto. However, while Otto may have been a good watchmaker, he did indeed lack the lustrous faith that the Ten Boom family had; He refused to join them in Bible readings after his first morning. “When we asked him why, he said that though he had not understood the Dutch words, he had seen that Father was reading from the Old Testament which, he informed us, was the Jews’ ‘Book of Lies’” (74) Here just after that, Casper Ten Boom says why Otto might think the way he does about the Bible: “I was shocked, but Father was only sorrowful. ‘He has been taught wrong,’ he told me. ‘By watching us, seeing how we love this book and are truthful people, he will realize his error.’” (74)

I can remember in my own past when I have been told that Christianity was false. A young man in his teens did not know the word of God and therefore fell to other beliefs. Sadly however it was probably one of the worst ones: satanism. I went, and still go to, an Evangelical church where we sometimes learn how to be Evangelists and spread the word of God. However, when I tried to tell him about how Christ died for us, and that all who believe in God shall live, he told me his own ideas about how Christianity to him was just a simple desert religion and that satan would provide mercy to them for following his ways; the ways of the world. However, unlike Otto in The Hiding Place, I saw that there was no hope for him as I kept trying and eventually gave up hope for him to be saved. Jude 1:4 “4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (ESV)

Another act of forgiveness that is found in The Hiding Place is much later in the book and happened when the police chief calls in Corrie Ten Boom in order to discuss a matter of a traitor among the NSBers and is leaking information to the Germans. “‘Then let us pray together now that God will reach the heart of this man so that he does not continue to betray his countrymen.’” (136) In this scenario, Corrie plainly wanted not to kill the traitor and just hope that he would find forgiveness in the sight of God and his own country. “We prayed that this Dutchman would come to realize his worth in the sight of God and the worth of every other human being on earth.” (137)

In this instance, I honestly do not know how I would react in this sort of a situation. When I saw what Corrie did, I knew that it was easily predictable from judging her character that I saw throughout the book: she was reluctant to do harm to another, she always loved the other people of her home and country, and she loved God and knew by studying his word that violence was not an answer to the problem of the traitor. Violence could have worked in this scenario and organizing the killing of this traitor would have ended the matter completely. However, God had a plan for Corrie and betsie which would involve no violence and no need to have blood on their hands for the Germans to have a reason to hunt down a killer. I truly believe (in my complete opinion) that Corrie did what I think no other would have done in this situation: forgive her enemy and allow God to bring justice upon the traitor. Romans 12:18-21 “18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[i] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (ESV)

The last piece of forgiveness that I found among others was near the end of the book when the war ended, and Corrie was permitted to leave the camp. Sadly however, Betsie had died of disease a few days before they were allowed to leave the concentration camp. When After the Allies retook Holland, Corrie reflected on the people who had wronged her, her family, and the other countries of the war: “Strangely enough, it was not the Germans or the Japanese people had the most trouble forgiving; it was their fellow Dutchmen who had sided with the enemy. I saw them frequently in the streets, NSBers with their shaved heads and furtive eyes. These former collaborators were now in pitiful condition, turned out of homes and apartments, unable to find jobs, hooted at in the streets.”

While I am that the allies won the war, I do feel sorry for those who were scoffed at for being the losers of the war. Even though the Germans, Japanese, and Italians all joined together to try and rule the world, and kill so many people in the process, Christ calls us to forgive more than just once. In fact, he calls us to forgive people four-hundred and ninety times or more! Matthew 18:21-22 “21 Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” (ESV) While I do not think that I can do this to the letter, I do believe that eventually Corrie Ten Boom did indeed forgive the Axis powers of World-War II.

Corrie’s memoir in the book called The Hiding Place opens up very unique points about how many people still do not believe in Christ Jesus. While many more people have been made believers, I think it should be necessary to try and bring the world to God. In The Hiding Place Lieutenant Rahms asked about her beliefs in Christ Jesus and Corrie told him about what Christ did for us by dying on the cross for our sins and he became a believer. Many people even in my own neighborhood have never been blessed with the luxury of going to a good school, or living in a good house, or even sleeping in a warm bed at night. However, the greatest treasure to anybody and everybody is Christ Jesus and him alone. So I highly encourage more evangelism and spreading of God’s word and maybe many more people on this earth could be saved through that one gesture of faith.