Cover of The Hiding Place
"I pity the poor Germans, Corrie. They have touched the apple of God's eye." ~Casper Ten Boom
As Corrie and her father watched the German soldiers rounding up Dutch Jews in the main square of Harlem, their hometown in the Netherlands, this is what Casper said. "I pity the poor Germans, Corrie. They have touched the apple of God's eye," said Casper. Her father was well respected in Harlem. Many knew him as "Opa", or grandfather. Many people in his community would come to talk with him and seek his advice. He was a quiet elderly man who stood his ground against the atrocities of the Nazi regime in occupied Holland. Even in his strong stance against those who would harm the innocent, he found compassion for the perpetrators. He didn't deny that what they were doing was wrong, and he even stood against it. Casper, Betsy, and Corrie all had that mind-blowing compassion that can only come from one source: God.
The book opens with explaining life for the Ten Boom family in pre-war Holland. It was a time of peace, joy, and the close bonds of family. We are introduced to the many members of the Ten Boom family, including Casper (the patriarch), Betsy (the older sister), and Corrie (the younger sister). The Ten Booms were Christians, and their faith is evident from the beginning of the story. As the book moves on, warnings of what was to come are revealed. At the time, they could not fathom what would happen. Then WWII and the occupation of the Netherlands came. The Ten Booms found themselves gradually making choices to do what was right, no matter what the consequences were. They started hiding Jews from the German soldiers. Soon, Corrie found herself one of the leaders who were part of a larger network of the Dutch resistance. Unfortunately, they were discovered, arrested, and imprisoned. Finally, the story ends with healing for the Ten Booms, the Dutch, and even the Germans.
Compassion is defined as a deep awareness of another's suffering coupled with the desire to alleviate it. The empathy exemplified in this book is heroic, but more supernatural. The Ten Booms showed compassion to many, whether it be the only employee they fired, the Jewish people, a German Lieutenant, their fellow prisoners, or the German guards at Ravensbrück. These people exuded kindness from their pores. It wasn't a shallow sympathy; it was rooted in truth and love. You cannot have true compassion unless you are willing to recognize the evil before you. It is then that you can minister the appropriate action of benevolence. When someone acts in this way, that is when we see true changes in individuals. We see those changes all through their story. The Ten Booms desired to declare the love of Christ not only in their words, but in their behavior. It is a powerful testimony that has stood the test of time.
If you are looking for a book that will challenge you to exemplify love to others, then this is the book for you. You will learn through the life story of the Ten Booms, their courage, and struggles. You will see them give compassion to not only the needy but also to their enemies. The type of compassion that changes lives and calls everyone to be better. I would highly recommend reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. It is truly one of the best books I have ever read, and it will challenge and convict you to be better.
"True compassion means not only feeling another's pain but also being moved to help relieve it."
~ Daniel Goleman
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