One of the classes I assist is reading The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. It takes place in Poland during the Holocaust. Toward the end of the book the main character, Hannah, sacrifices herself so that another girl can live.
Hannah said nothing. The memories of Lublin and the shtetl and the camp itself
suddenly seemed like the dreams. She lived, had lived, would live in the future–
she, or someone with whom she shared memories. But Rivka had only now.
…”Run for your life, Rivka. Run for your future. Run. Run. Run. And remember.”
I was thinking how we, as followers of Jesus, are like Hannah, and how those who are not followers of Christ are like Rivka. We live, and will live in the future. Those who don’t know Jesus only have now. As Hannah told Rivka to run, we also have a message that warns those far from Jesus to run to him, to run for their future. Hannah told Rivka to run in order to save her, and in order to preserve the record of what went on in the death camp. A large part of who we are is wrapped up in remembering what Jesus has done for us, and our message is one of salvation.
While we can not trade places with those who are not disciples, we are called to live sacrificial lives and give ourselves up for others.
Anyway, those are my thoughts.