WITH CHARITY FOR ALL

September 3 

…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

 Matt. 5:44b

Outside of the Biblical Ethic, the story of Dirk Willems, a 16th century Dutch Anabaptist martyr, defies all rational explanation.  

Incarcerated for promoting the cause of Believer’s Baptism and rebaptizing those who had been “baptized” as infants, Pastor Willems was held prisoner for months within a gloomy, moat-encircled fortress. Finding opportunity to escape in the winter of 1569, Dirk successfully crossed the ice-encrusted moat while being pursued by an officer—who proceeded to fall through the ice!  

At this point, we might ask ourselves “What would YOU do under such circumstances?” Most of us, I dare say, would continue our flight. Dirk—unable to ignore the cries of a fellow man in distress—immediately turned about and rescued his pursuer.  Despite the pleas of the grateful officer that his benefactor be released, the local Burgermeister insisted that Willems be returned to prison for prosecution. The authorities—under the tender guidance of Romanism—proceeded to convict and mercilessly torture Dirk in a fruitless attempt to make him recant his Anabaptist Faith. In May of 1569, Dirk Willems died horribly, being slowly burnt alive at the stake.  

Let us return to the icy moat, where there was little time for reflection: Willems was required to make an instant decision. The only explanation that speaks unto the facts is that Willems had so internalized a Christlike charity that he was able—almost intuitively—to rapidly pivot and regard a hostile pursuing wolf as someone in need of redemption. Marvel—Jesus died for us sinners when we were yet enemies (Rom. 5:10, Col. 1:21-22)!   

What a hard saying is Matt. 5:44—what a lofty challenge! To deny self, take up a cross, and follow (Matt. 16:24)!

Terry L. Reese