Dallas County Living Well Magazine January/February 2019 | Page 19

By Michelle Wallace
away from extinction. We didn’t pass
it to our children in the bloodstream.
It must be fought for, protected, and
handed on for them to do the same.”
I don’t care which side of the politi-
cal aisle you’re on, if you’re young
or old, male or female, rich or
poor, you have a call to pursue and
know the truth. How can we know
we’re not being deceived? Apart
from God we can’t, because He
alone knows the hearts of men.
Like Bonhoeffer, once we know the
truth we have a charge to stand for
and even fight for it. What holds
us back? The same thing that held
many back during Hitler’s reign, it’s
the fear of man. Proverbs 29:25
from The Passion Translation says,
fear and intimidation is a trap that
holds you back. But when you place
your confidence in the Lord, you
will be seated in the high place.
Friends, I want to be seated in
the high place. The view from
above is so much sweeter. Low
living is for the chickens. You and
I were meant for so much more.
Can I share something I’ve learned
in the fight? Fighting for truth apart
from love is futile. Love brings the
light that dispels all darkness. It’s
indispensable! Whether others see
the truth, whether they listen or fail to
listen, that’s not on us. The question
is, “Are you willing to risk it all to
love?” That’s the most excellent way!
The SS doctor who witnessed Bon-
hoeffer’s death later recalled the
scene: “The prisoners were taken
from their cells, and the verdicts
of court martial read out to them.
Through the half-open door in one
room of the huts, I saw Pastor Bon-
hoeffer, before taking off his prison
garb, kneeling on the floor praying
fervently to his God. I was most
deeply moved by the way this lov-
able man prayed, so devout and so
certain that God heard his prayer. At
the place of execution, he again said
a prayer and then climbed the steps
to the gallows, brave and composed.
His death ensued in a few seconds.
In the almost 50 years that I have
worked as a doctor, I have hardly
ever seen a man die so entirely
submissive to the will of God.”
Bonhoeffer sent one final mes-
sage, to George Bell in En-
gland: “This is the end, for
me the beginning of life.”
You and I may never be called
as martyrs for standing for truth,
but we are called to daily lay
down our lives—To love people
enough to share the truth in a way
that best affords them the oppor-
tunity to real and lasting life.
To learn more about Michelle and see what she’s up to, visit her page on Facebook at
“Michelle Wallace-Hand of the King.”
DALLAS COUNTY Living Well Magazine | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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