Being a Sheppard............?

It is difficult to imagine that someone could get excited about their successful application to become a drain cleaner and pest controller. 

Yet, in 1942 this was the best news the 29-year old German social worker, Irena Sendler could receive. 

This job gave her access to the Jewish concentration camps – an area where 350,000 Jews by then already lived for two years prior to her application.

During the next sixteen months, Irena daily risked her life by smuggling some of the Jewish children and babies out of the concentration camps in order to place them in foster care. 

Her idea was to reunite these children with their parents after the war. In 1943, however, Irena was caught and arrested, and for numerous hours the German soldiers tortured her. 

They were willing to do anything to find out where the 2,500 children were which Irena had helped to escape. They broke both her arms and legs, but Irena still refused to tell them anything about the children. 

Eventually, she was sentenced to death. 

It was when Irena was about to enter the gas chambers, that a guard suddenly, helped her to escape – but on one condition: she had to “disappear”. 

She did. 

Apart from one recording of this incident in a history book, Irena Sendler “disappeared” that day.      

Sixty years later, while doing research for a history school assignment, two girls discovered the story of Irena in a footnote in one of the books. The result? In 2007 Irena was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize (unfortunately she lost to Al Gore and his PowerPoint-presentation on global warming). 

Irena was a remarkable woman who not only saved 2,500 Jewish children from a certain death but also she gave them the opportunity to have their own descendants.

Place yourself for a moment in the concentration camps.....

I wonder what the Jews must have felt like every time somebody recited Psalm 23:1: 

“You, LORD, are my shepherd. I will never be in need.” 

 Especially verse 4: “I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won't be afraid. You are with me.” (CEV)

I wonder how many Jews gained hope by merely seeing Irena every day entering and leaving the concentration camps (with the knowledge that her presence saved hundreds of children’s lives). 

And I wonder how many Jews realized that God sent Irena as a “shepherd” to look after his people? 

This amazing woman died peacefully in 2008 at the age of 98.    

Do you realize you can also be God’s shepherd to the people in your life? 

Do you realize that a prayer, a piece of bread or maybe an encouraging word could make you a shepherd? When last have you seized an opportunity to be that shepherd to the people in your life?

Sela

Thank God the Father that He is your/my Shepherd and that we might know that even if we/I walk through the dark valley of death I don’t need to be afraid because He will keep us safe in His' hands. ..... in the Name of Jesus Christ.