Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45)
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ave you ever stood up for what was right and still got in trouble? It happens more than you think, and for many different reasons. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor in Germany in the 1930s and ’40s. He believed that God meant what he read in Galatians 3:28: “God does not see you as a Jew or as a Greek. . . . He does not see you as a man or as a woman. You are all one in Christ.” Since John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever,” Dietrich thought it was wrong that the German government punished the Jewish people just because they were Jewish. Dietrich was certain that was not fair. He said so. He knew the government didn’t like what he had to say, which may be why Dietrich said, “There is meaning in every journey that is unknown to the traveler.” He knew there was a purpose behind his longing for justice. He just didn’t know where this path would lead him. When the flowers were in bloom in 1943, Dietrich was arrested. Two years later he was killed. People remember him today because what he said was right, and what was done to him was wrong. Dietrich understood what some people forget: “One act of obedience is worth a hundred sermons.” His life preached a powerful sermon: God loves all people, and all people are valuable to Him. That’s very good news worth sharing.
What is important is to obey God’s Word. 1 C ORINTHIANS 7:19
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