Corrie ten Boom was a woman who loved Jesus. She bravely hid Jews because Hitler was trying to hurt them. And, Corrie was put in a prison camp because of it.
The soldiers took away each person’s belongings, including their Bibles. Miraculously, they never found Corrie’s Bible. Corrie slept on a flea-infested mattress, crammed with several other women, including her sister, Betsie.
Feeling hunger pains and fleas biting them, you would think they complained. But, instead, Betsie told Corrie about a verse that came to her mind.
All those years ago, the same verse we read, they also read: “Give thanks in all circumstances.”
Corrie asked her sister what on earth they could give thanks for. Betsie said she was thankful that the Lord allowed her to be with her sister in the prison camp when they could have been separated. Then, she thanked God for the fleas. Can you believe that?
Corrie told her sister that she could never give thanks for the fleas. But Betsie told Corrie they had to because it’s God’s will to give thanks in all circumstances.
So, they gave thanks for the fleas.
You know what happened because of those fleas? The soldiers wouldn’t come into the barracks where they stayed. Because of that, Corrie and Betsie were able to have Bible studies and share their hope of Jesus during a tough time.
None of that would have happened if the fleas hadn’t been there.
It’s a choice, I told my daughter. It’s a choice to give thanks always. We talked about replacing frustration and anger with this phrase: Thank you, Lord, for _______.
And, we talked about how we are in this together.
I drew her close and we prayed together. We gave thanks to the Lord and asked him to help us have grateful hearts.
I wiped my daughter’s wet cheeks, hugged her, and gave her some time to herself. After five minutes, she walked out of her room with a smile and joyful heart.
It’s a process for all of us – to walk the higher road of giving thanks always.
To walk the higher road of raising children who choose gratefulness over entitlement.
To walk the higher road of following Jesus.
But when we choose the higher road, we experience the full life that Jesus came to give us.
