Calling and Purpose 13—Corrie, Eric, Louis

Oftentimes, our calling changes with either life seasons or significant events.  We may be doing what we are designed for—what we are good at—and history intervenes in ways that force us in another direction.  In these moments, we ask God—“now what?”  “What, Lord, would you have me do in this situation?” “Who am I to BE, given these circumstances.  Corrie Ten Boom, Eric Liddell, and Louis Zamperini are examples of exactly this before, during, and after World War II (WWII).

 Corrie Ten Boom grew up in Haarlem, Netherlands.  She trained for and became the first woman watchmaker in her country.  She also started a club for youth—providing them with activities and spiritual instruction.  She also had a particular focus on helping the disabled. When WWII came, and the threat to the Jewish people became apparent, Corrie and her family became part of the Dutch Resistance by helping many Jews escape imprisonment and almost certain death by hiding them. They even had their home adapted to be able to hide Jews in a secret passage.  An informant caused the family, including Corrie, to be arrested and she and her sister Betsie were sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp in northern Germany.  Corrie’s sister and father died in captivity, in addition to other family members.  Corrie was released as a result of a clerical error.  She then began her writing and speaking career—responding to the call of God (and recalling a vision that Betsie had had while incarcerated)—traveling the world, telling of Jesus, and teaching about faith and forgiveness,.  Her most famous book, The Hiding Place, was made into a movie.

Some of her most known quotes:[i]

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”

“The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation.”

During a similar time frame, Eric Liddell—born in China to missionary parents from Scotland—was coming into his own as a fast rugby player and a renowned runner.  He was known as The Flying Scotsman and was selected by Britain to compete in the 1924 Olympics.  However, at the Olympics, he refused to compete in the heats for the 100-meter dash—in observance of Sunday as his day of worship.  He did qualify and compete for the 400-meter race—and won the gold medal.

 Soon after, Eric returned to China as a missionary.  He became a teacher, a coach, and an ordained minister.  In these roles, as when he was at the top of his running game, he had a significant influence on others. In 1943, he was taken into captivity and sent to a Japanese internment camp.  There, he again became a leader, teacher, and coach until his death five months before the camp was liberated in 1945. 

Louis Zamperini, by his own admission, was a hell-raiser as a child and teen.  He credited running for redirecting his life.  He qualified in the 5000-meter race for the 1936 Olympics.  In 1941, he became an Army Air Force bombardier in the Pacific.  His plane crash-landed in the ocean, and he was eventually interned in a Japanese prison camp.  He suffered much and, after the war ended, turned to alcohol to cope.  An encounter at a Billy Graham Crusade turned his life around, and Zamperini became a Christian and an evangelist.  His story has been told in the book and movie Unbroken.

For Corrie, Eric, and Louis, they pursued and excelled at something—watchmaking, running, teaching, leading.  Then, with the intervention of WWII, their purpose took on new forms—even with new limitations—resistance, saving lives, teaching, leading, coaching.  Following the war, Corrie, Eric, and Louis became evangelists, teachers, and leaders telling of God’s faithfulness in the midst of suffering.  All were able to articulate a powerful story of perseverance, resilience, and forgiveness.

·       What are you good at—or can train to get better at?

·       Where has some challenge or seeming roadblock intervened to change your course?

·       What might God wish to do with that change of course?

·       How will you serve Him with your new purpose?  What shape might that new calling take?

For more on this, explore GodGiftsYou.com.

Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and law enforcement leadership for over 30 years.  She has worked with leaders and organizations in 47 of the United States as well as having clients outside the U.S.  Contact Shirley.

[i]https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/40-powerful-quotes-from-corrie-ten-boom.html

Photo (c) Marjorie H. Irvine, All rights reserved.