THE HERO SERIES: TWO OF FOUR
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER
1906-1945
In World War II, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime was responsible for the annihilation of six million Jews. The evil perpetrated by Hitler against innocent men, women, boys, and girls who did nothing more than exist in the world as Jews is unfathomable. That level of absolute hatred is something we may attribute to Satan directly. Thankfully, during this evil time there were also heroes who stood out for their bravery and compassion for the Jewish people that took a stand against Hitler and his ideals.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of these men. Bonhoeffer was born in Poland on February 4, 1906 to a wealthy, well-educated family. His father, Karl Bonhoeffer, was a well-known psychiatrist and neurologist and his mother was a teacher- an occupation not common for women during that time. Dietrich was already a gifted pianist at the age of eight and many felt he would go on to play professionally. He chose a much different path.
At age 14, Dietrich decided that he would pursue theology. While his mother supported his decision, his brothers were not happy with his decision, feeling theology would take him out of the real world by keeping him focused on spiritual things. How wrong they would turn out to be. Dietrich went on to complete his degree in theology and began working for the church. He didn’t however, ignore what was happening in the world around him.
Bonhoeffer was keenly aware of what was happening to the Jews and chose to involve himself in the fight against Hitler. From the inside, he worked for a German intelligence agency, allowing him to slip under the radar for a time. During this period, he collaborated with a small group of men who were conspiring to assassinate Hitler in an effort to save the Jews and the world from further atrocity.
On July 20th, 1944, a briefcase with a bomb inside was left in a room where Hitler and others were meeting. The bomb exploded but due to the size and shape of the conference table, Hitler was mostly shielded from the blast and sustained only minor injuries. The list of names of those involved in the attempt began to unravel and within the list was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. On April 9th, 1945, he was marched to the gallows and hanged at the age of 39. Later, his body was burned along with the bodies of slain Jewish, intermingling his ashes with theirs, an image that reinforced his solidarity with the oppressed Jewish population.
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wanted his life to have meaning. He was not content to live in the protected fringes of the wealthy or use his privilege as a means to remove himself from the persecuted. He used his position, connections, and intelligence to fight for those who were being destroyed. He was willing to sacrifice his comfortable lifestyle for the good of others. In the end, he gave the last thing he could – his life.
Real men want to live a life that has purpose. We are not content with comfortable. We aren’t looking for easy. The 65 inch television, the newest suv, or the best set of golf clubs don’t cut it. We want meaning, even if it means giving up what’s safe. Sure, we’d like to live to a ripe old age, but what good is that if we have no heroic stories to share?
Heroic stories? Sure, you can have them. Stories about doing a 15 mile hike with your son to the waterfall in the mountains. Stories about special moments you created with your daughter to show her how much you love her. Stories about how your marriage endured over 50 years because you were dedicated even during the tough times. Stories about friendships that lasted decades and the memories that were created over those years. Heroic stories. Stories about things that take being intentional to accomplish.
If you want your life to have meaning, consider what you want your life to mean and work toward that end. Do things each day that reflect your end goal – the man you want to be at the end of your days. It’s a daily decision to live a life of purpose.
CHALLENGE:
What do you want your life to represent when you reach the end? How can you work toward that each day?
SCRIPTURES:
EQUIPPING MEN TO LIVE INTENTIONAL LIVES 