White Roses

White Roses

"Tonight, as I looked up for a moment from the general jolly merry-making, as I looked out through the window at the evening sky, through the bare trees at the yellow horizon, suddenly I remembered that it was Good Friday.  The sky seemed strangely far away and indifferent and it saddened me.  Or perhaps it was the people with their empty laughter, for whom the sky had no relevance.  I felt excluded from the merry party and from the unconcerned sky."  - Sophie Scholl

I read this from Sophie's diary and my heart resonated with her.  So often I've looked up from my own merry-making and the world suddenly seems to expand before me and my own isolated bubble is exposed to the imperative issues that will inevitably touch it.

It is so much easier, and altogether more comfortable, to live in seclusion and peace of our own homes, thoughts, churches and good fortune.

Once in a while we are accosted by today's troubles.  No matter how shielded we are, it is impossible to escape the atrocities of the dying unsaved souls, suicide victims, abortion and it's murdered innocents, the neglected elderly, the emotionally scarred children in foster homes that live unwanted and unhelped.  The homeless.  They helpless.  The hopeless.

Sophie and Hans Scholl also could not escape their time and their country's horrors.  Like all of us, they were not given the choice as to which time-period they were to be born into.  They happened to be young Germans in the 1940s.  And this was their firm conviction --

"...Which one of us can foretell the unspeakable shame that will be visited on us and our children when the scales fall from our eyes and the crimes, most horrible and infinitely beyond measure, come to light?  Is the German people, in its innermost soul, so corrupt and decayed?  Will it without lifting a finger, frivolously trusting questionable laws of history, surrender the most valuable thing mans own, that which raises him above all other creatures?  Will the German people surrender free will, man's freedom to help put a spoke in the wheel of history and subordinate it to his own reason, his own decision?  If Germans are so devoid of personal individuality, if they have become so irretrievably a mindless and craven mass -- then, indeed then they deserve to perish."  
The opening sentences of the White Roses' first leaflet.

The White Rose was first birthed by a group of students who were joined in their mutual "non-conformity" and love for freedom.  All held in high revere literature that had been banned and consigned to book burning.  Each of them held their dictator in disgust, and all had witnessed in various forms the terrors of Nazism.  They eventually grew impatient of simply talking of the issues and horrors and each determined to strongly resist.  Their solution?  Issuing leaflets calling for resistance to Hitler.

When the first leaflet was dispersed in Munich Germany, it created a sensation.  It was a daring trumpet blast in the mandatory silence of Nazism.  Some took the leaflets right away to the police.  Others disposed of it.  But some of them followed the leaflet's instructions and retyped the page with as many carbon copies and passed it on.  One such person said, "Today no one will believe how happy we are to do something against the regime at long last."

The next leaflets informed the German people of the atrocities of the Fuhrer and Nazism.  "The fact is that since the conquest of Poland 300,000 Jews have bestially murdered in that country."  The leaflet stated that anyone who watched such crimes without doing something about them could not possibly acquit himself of guilt.  Their last word?

"The White Rose will not leave you in peace!"

Hans once told his sister -- "It is high time that Christians, too, [not only Communist and Social-Democratic resistance fighters] start doing something.  Chrisitans have to set up a visiable sign of resistance.  When we are asked at the end of the war, 'What did you do?' shall we stand there empty handed?"  - Hans Scholl

The Scholl siblings along with the rest of the White Rose did do something.  They appealed to their fellow Germans.  They publicly protested.  They refused to prolong Hitler's war by donating to the Nazi "Winter Aid" clothing drive that was to benefit German soldiers in Russia.  They helped prisoners of war and foreign workers.  All things what their sister Inge called "...small scale resistance, practical and tangible, and potentiality contagious."

One story of a friend further demonstrates the Scholl's resistance.

"That evening, as we walked in the English Garden, Sophie seemed very nervous to me,  She said

"...one ought to do something, for instance, write on walls."

I said, "I have a pencil in my pocket."

Sophie: "It has to be done with tar-based paint."

I: "But that's insanely dangerous."

Sophie, evasively,: The night is a friend of the free."

Next morning I went with Sophie and Hans to the university to attend Professor Huber's class... There was a big crowd of students by the university entrance staring at the stone wall.  As we came closer we saw the word FREEDOM printed in black paint in three-foot-high letters.  Several cleaning women were busily trying to scrub off the writing.  An older student said to Sophie, "Those b*******."  Hans urged us to walk on -- "We don't want to be conspicuous."  As we left, Sophie said to me under her breath, "They have a long scrub ahead of them; that's tar-paint."

These young people dared to cry for freedom in a "state where all free expression has been ruthlessly gagged".  They admonished others to "Fight the Party!  Get out of the Party organizations where they silence you with 'No Polotics!'  Get out of the lecture rooms of SS leaders and SS chief leaders and Party toadies!  We are committed to true science and genuine freedom of thought!"

If the White Rose could courageously fight and even die for such a nobal cause, it should quicken our sense of justice and duty to fight our modern culture and atrocities.

At ages 22 and 24, Sophie and Hans Scholl shook their nation with their radical stance on freedom.  Especially after their brave martyrdom.

"I remember meeting an acquaintance on the street one day, and he said to me, "Don't beam so!  They'll arrest you for beaming."  That is how it was.  We didn't have much of a chance to survive, but survival was not what counted.  Life counted.  Life itself touched our hearts through the death of Hans and Sophie Scholl and their friends. ... Hope.  That was what [they] gave us."  - Ilse Aichinger

I am not writing this to discourage or condemn.  But to inspire you as the Scholls did me.  The Bible mentions in 2 Corinthians how mortality can be swallowed up in life.  This is my desire.  And yet, to be mortal, to relish peace and security and to even grow weary of the battle and wish to close our eyes to the world and it's horrors is no condemnation.  It is our instinct.  But we can choose to be selfish mortals, or we can allow our mortality to be swallowed up in life.  His life.

I'm not saying we need to start a crusade.  I'm not saying we should sell our home and join a cause.  I'm not saying we now need to spend every 24 hours printing leaflets.

True hearted"small scale" resistance in our culture might be giving up a movie night to petition our Representatives. It might mean not pro-longing the "war" on innocents by refusing to support Pro-Choice businesses.  It might mean taking the risk of looking foolish by passing out a tract.  It might mean exercising our mind when we'd rather zone and entertain ourselves.

Many of us are busy.  Okay, all of us are insanely busy.  And that's not a condemnation.  Some of us might only realistically have 15 minutes a week to actively engage in our world's battle.  Some of us might have more.

But we will do nothing if we are convinced that we don't have any time.  If we have time to like posts on Facebook, watch a movie, play a game, email -- we have a few minutes.  We will do nothing if we are convinced that it's not our duty.  We will do nothing if we won't take it seriously.  We will do nothing if we are unconvinced at our nation's need.


But here are the facts:

Millions are on their way to Hell.
Approximately every 12.8 minutes someone dies from suicide in the U.S. alone.
3,500 babies are killed every year in the United States.
And this is just a few examples...


David asked, "Is there not a cause...?"  Absolutely.  And we can take his example to heart.  He went and did what he knew best.  He gathered stones for his sling shot.  And then he made himself available to his Strength and his Redeemer.

David had to throw off his brother's criticism.  We too must throw off criticism.  Low expectations of others.  In fact, our world expects it's young people to be self-absorbed, ignorant adolescents.
What has God gifted us with?  Of course we are weak earthen vessels, but we are the very vessels He has chosen.  God has all the power and knowledge -- He waits on us. We are not given the choice to be warriors.  We are in the midst of a battle.  But we are given the choice whether to be His warriors or not.

Every person God ever used had their own set-backs, their own weaknesses, their own hard circumstances.  But you are His warrior and He has given you life for a purpose.  What if we only have 22 years like Sophie?  Twenty two years from now even? I desire to be a White Rose in my nation and my time. I want to be able to face my death and say as  Sophie did --

"I would do everything again, exactly the same way."

Resources:

"The Short Life of Sophie Scholl" by Herman Vinke



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Compassion Part I

Three Davids

Spiritual Lessons

The David that Went in his Strength


Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and King Saul and the men of Israel were set in array against the Philistines.

And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Gath.  And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel -- "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we might fight together."

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
Now David, the son of Jesse, ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.  And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name.  And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid.

And they said -- "Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it  shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel."

And Eliab, David's eldest brother heard him speaking to the men, and his anger was kindled against David and he said, "Why camest thou down hither?  and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. "

And from that moment David desired to prove himself to Eliab, and to the men of Israel and to be enriched with great riches and went straightway to the King.

And David said to Saul -- O King I will fight Israel's enemy, Goliath.
And the King said to David -- "Thou art not able to fight against this Philistine.  You are but a youth."
And David once more addressed the King -- "I have saved my father's flock from both a lion and a bear, and this Philistine shall be like unto them, for I am David, the son of Jesse."

And Saul armed David with his own armor, and girded David with his sword.  And David went before the men of Israel to show the honor of the King towards him.

And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David, and when he saw David he cursed him.
And then said David to the Philistine -- "Thou comest to me with a sword, but I come to revenge Israel and to prove the strength of David, son of Jesse, and I will defy you, and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all of the earth may know the strength of an Israelite, and the valor of David!"

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and drew near that David hasted and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine, in full confidence of both himself and Saul's sword.
And the Philistine drew his sword and prevailed against David, for David had trusted in his own strength and forgotten the Lord his God.

The David that Waited on the Lord.


Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and King Saul and the men of Israel were set in array against the Philistines.

And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Gath.  And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel -- "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we might fight together."

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
Now David, the son of Jesse, ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.  And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name.  And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid.

And they said -- "Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it  shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel."

And Eliab, David's eldest brother heard him speaking to the men, and his anger was kindled against David and he said, "Why camest thou down hither?  and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. "

And from that moment David feared the pride of his heart and continually questioned the motive of his heart.  Nonetheless he sought audience with the King.

And David said to Saul -- O King I will fight Israel's enemy, Goliath.
And the King said to David -- "Thou art not able to fight against this Philistine.  You are but a youth."
And David once more addressed the King -- "You have spoken truly oh king, I am a worm and unworthy, but the Lord will deliver Israel from this Philistine."

And Saul armed David with his own armor, and girded David with his sword.  But David said unto Saul -- "I cannot go with these; I will go with no weapon so I may prove the Lord God.  I will wait on Him to defeat the enemy of Israel, for the Lord our God is stronger than man and He will fight for us.  Have no fear, but wait on the Lord God."

And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David, and when he saw David he cursed him and his God.

And then David sat peacefully before the Philistine and said -- "Thou comest to me with a sword, but I come in the rest of the Lord.  You defy me and curse God but I will wait on the Lord."

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and drew near that David sat and prayed and the Philistine drew his sword and smote the Israelites, and the Israelites were brought under bondage to the Philistines, and Goliath of Gath gloried in his victory over God's people.

The Real David


Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and King Saul and the men of Israel were set in array against the Philistines.

And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Gath.  And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel -- "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we might fight together."

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
Now David, the son of Jesse, ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.  And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name.  And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid.

And they said -- "Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it  shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel."

And Eliab, David's eldest brother heard him speaking to the men, and his anger was kindled against David and he said, "Why camest thou down hither?  and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. "

And David knew the pride of his own heart, but also knew not to expect everyone to understand the true motives of his heart and said, "What have I now done?  Is there not a cause?"  And David left the apathetic and fearful brethren and sought the king.

And David said to Saul -- "Let no man's heart fail because of Goliath, thy servant will fight him."
And the King said to David -- "Thou art not able to fight against this Philistine.  You are but a youth."
And David once more addressed the King -- " Thy servant slew both a lion and a bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.  The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."

And Saul armed David with his own armor, and girded David with his sword.  But David said unto Saul -- "I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them."  And David took his own familiar staff and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in his shepherds bag and took his sling which he had defeated the lion and bear with; for David knew the Lord God would use him and the things God had equipped him with.

And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David, and when he saw David he cursed him and his God.

And David said -- "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou has defied.  This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.  And all the assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands."

And it came to pass when the Philistine arose and drew night to meet David that David hasted and ran toward the army, in full confidence that the Lord would fight through him.

And David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone and slang it, and the small stone sunk into his forehead and he fell upon his face to the earth.  So David prevailed in the strength of the Lord over the Philistine with a mere sling and a stone.  And the Philistines fled when they saw their champion was dead.  And the men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines and were victorious.  And the assembly was convinced of God's faithfulness and strength and He was given glory.  All because one young man trusted in God and acted on it.



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A Post for Martha

Spiritual Lessons

A Post for Martha

I never realized how easy it is to suppress men by "taking over".  I think it's part of the curse.  Until recently, I never quite grasped how I was falling into a feministic trap.  Let me explain:

I was born into a visionary family.  Visionaries are dreamers.  They inspire change and they envision the ideal.  They are the trumpets of society.  I've never lived a boring day in my life -- honestly.  With my Dad's dreams of "the next project", my mom's elaborate ideas, my brother's war against injustice, my sister's musical pursuits, and my little siblings budding creativity -- I am surrounded by vision.  It's a chaotic, vibrant, roller coaster sort of life.  It's my norm and something I've recently embraced; even fallen in love with.  But it hasn't always been that way.

Though I was born to Mr. and Mrs. Visionary, my personality has always somewhat resisted.  From somewhere along my mother's side I received a very small amount of what people call "practicality".  Albeit, it is finite compared to the rest of society, it is painfully obvious in a family of such visionary caliber.

With many dreamers in my family there comes a lot of opportunity to "do".  Dreamers love to dream, but many of their dreams never come to fruition. I also, love to dream, but unlike most my visionary counterparts, it plagues me: the undone.  I see dreams and plans falling apart and I step in to mend them.   Even if they are someone else's dream or plan.  Recently I've seen the negativity associated with this personality trait of mine.  If you are a "worker bee", a "Martha", a "fixer"  this post is for you.

 If you are a "worker bee", a "Martha", a "fixer"  this post is for you.

There are many many needs in the world.  There are many needs in our community.  There are many needs at our workplace.  And there is an abundance of needs in our home.  I have taken on plenty of these needs.  But in doing this, I have often pondered why there are so few people doing the same?  Especially when I take on something that must be done, but could be better met by someone else...or maybe should be done by someone else.  But no one else volunteers.  No one else is taking charge.  Others are slacking.  And things are falling apart. 

With my habit to rush in a give aid, I've realized that I have stolen the opportunity from others to obey God.  And what is even more humbling is the thought that I have affected my brothers and brothers in Christ.  My "fix-all" tendency can be traced to a feminist root of pride.  The Little Red Hen syndrome: "I'll do it myself!".     

Recently it has occurred to me that maybe the men would speak up more if we would pause a moment to take a breath and be still.  Maybe the men would step up if we didn't consider ourselves the fix-all to every circumstance that called for a willing volunteer.  Maybe the men would take charge if we stopped assuming we're the only candidate for getting the job done.  Oftentimes the gentlemen step aside for the determined woman who is ready to take "the bull by the horns" because "no one else will".  

There's nothing wrong with women leading things.  It's okay to organize an event.  Or take on a ministry.  As long as we do it because Jesus asked us to, not because there's a need to be met.  Just because no one is rushing to meet a need doesn't mean it's our responsibility.  Just because we see the need, doesn't mean it's our responsibility.  It might be.  But if so, our King must be asked first.  I'm not talking about the obvious commandments.  Being a virtuous woman, being a witness, being a godly daughter, etc. We don't need to ask, we need to obey.

Have we ever considered that maybe God created the need to encourage someone else to step up?

But have we ever considered that maybe God created the need to encourage someone else to step up?  So often we hurry to meet needs, and then later complain to God how full our plate is, and beg for more strength. Perhaps we weren't meant to take it on in the first place.  Of course there are legitimate times of "overload" and it isn't from ourselves taking on too much, but we are tired, we are dealing with health issues, we are experiencing attack from obeying God.  But I'm talking about the adopted attitude of  "we-must-do-it-all".  This is what is dangerous.  

It's not only dangerous but it also encourages those around us to expect us to take charge.  They begin to assume we will meet every need.  And we are burdened even more.  Now we aren't the heroine rushing in to hold down the fort, but now it's our expected duty, and we're falling on the job if we let needs slip.  Our response is: I'm upset, Why won't anyone help?  Why does everyone assume I'm going to head it up and do all the work?  And all along we've put it on ourselves.  

Don't worry -- I know there are times when people are lazy.  I know sometimes your intention was to "help" and suddenly you find all those volunteers have abandoned you and left the project in "your capable hands".  I know sometimes your authorities have shouldered you with a responsibility you didn't sign up for.  I know there are people in this world who will assume upon your generosity (or your convenient state of singleness)  without you having asked for it.  

But humbly look at yourself for a moment.  Do we remember to ask Jesus before committing to something?  Even those things we know we could do, or have been asked to do?  

 He desires us to take on nothing but what He wills, and to refuse nothing but what He offers. 

God alone knows which paths we are to take.  He knows every aspect of our soul and what we should and can handle.  He desires us to take on nothing but what He wills and to refuse nothing He offers.  This is godly dependency.  It's not laziness to defer leadership.  We will only be satisfied when our loads are specifically from Him.  His yoke is bearable.  Our's isn't. 

It is possible to rob our men, of the opportunity to be leaders, protectors, and men.  If we ask God to direct us and listen for His commands, there might be some "big ministries" that are laid aside, but we can be sure what God needs of us will not be ignored.  How many widows are neglected because we are busy "serving God" in a needed ministry?  How many children are forgotten?  How many mom's are overtaxed?  How many friend are discouraged and ignored?

God will make it clear to us if we ask Him.  I've decided to bring before Him every need, no matter the size, and ask Him if it's my order to meet it.  I'm laying aside my feminist attitude.  I'm praying to be an encouragement and help to my brothers.  Habits are hard to break, but nothing is impossible with Christ.  I am praying you too can see this tendency in yourself, and be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  

Take heart Martha, He will create in us a spirit of service as well as submission and love, if we ask.

"Shew me they ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths."  Psalm 25:4 

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