It's our job. It's our responsibility. It's the least I can do in light of what Irena Swendler did so long ago.
We each come across incredible stories as we meet and greet on social network sites. Heartwarming as well as heart-breaking stories. Today I read one of those. Amazing that as much as I read (and I read a lot), I have not come across this remarkable account of human courage:
"During World War II, Irena Sendler, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an ulterior motive.
Irena smuggled Jewish infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried. She also carried a burlap sack in the back of her truck, for larger kids. Irena kept a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.
During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants.
Ultimately, she was caught, however, and the Nazi's broke both of her legs and arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she had smuggled out, in a glass jar that she buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived and tried to reunite the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.
In 2007 Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected.
Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming.
Please share Irena's story to honor her sacrifice and courage--such a fine human being who gave so much and saved so many."
*************************Such irony, don't you think?
A woman of such courage, such heroism, such love for her fellow man that she'd risk her life and eventually be beaten unmercilessly, ends up on the world stage of honor. She stands on the precipice of being rewarded by the world for her acts of hope and mercy, only to be passed over for Al Gore and his mythical madness of Global Warming. So grateful to know that one day we will see her rewarded by the King of Kings on the heavenly stage of honor. What a wonderful day that will be.
For there is another who gave His life in sacrifice to save each and every one of us-- including the Nazis who beat poor Irena-- for sins against a Holy God. We've all fallen short of His glory-- His perfect righteousness. Many of us will go unnoticed for our acts of kindness and love. Many will be forgotten for their sacrifices. But Jesus makes the way for us to live eternally with Him. What an honor to anticipate-- such joy to imagine.
