By Danny Minton

When Andy Hodges stepped from the small boat on the shore of the River Etel, he found himself on the border of German territory. Andy had volunteered to be in the Red Cross after being classified as 4-F and unable to join the war effort. Now, wearing his Red Cross insignia and carrying a white flag, he sat in his jeep within site of the area occupied by the German forces. He had no idea how he would be accepted as he approached a young German sentry who would not allow him to pass.

It was November 1944, and Andy had in his pocket a letter from a group of Allied prisoners who were being held at the Ile de Groix Prison Camp. Imprisoned on an island, they were able to smuggle a letter to the Red Cross telling them about the horrible living situation, little food and water, clothing not fit for winter, and the need for medicines. In a move that could have meant being imprisoned himself, Andy set up a meeting with German officers to obtain permission to get supplies to the 79 prisoners on the island.

He learned the sentry’s name was Kraus, and while speaking to him, two German officers approached. He was escorted to a nearby town, where the three sat in a local restaurant, and Andy explained his desire to bring aid to the prisoners in the camp. This meeting would be the first of several. The German officers agreed, and Andy and the two officers set up conditions for how the aid would be received and distributed and how it would take place. 

When the prisoners received the Red Cross packages, it was like early Christmas. Warm clothes, food, medicine, and all the essentials they needed were met with laughter and cheers. Watching them in envy were the prison guards, who were in the same situation as the prisoners when it came to the need for food and clothing. 

One of the stipulations was that a kitchen be set up in the prisoners’ area so they could cook their own food. The smell of the food as it cooked drifted throughout the camp, where the guards could smell the aroma. To the surprise of the Germans, the prisoners made plates of food and distributed them to the guards while having some themselves. It was an act of kindness accepted gracefully and with appreciation by the young guards. This act of unexpected kindness would open the door to a more significant act of cooperation to come.

Being prisoners could have made the allied soldiers selfish with their good fortune, rubbing it in on the men outside who could only look on with envy. However, instead of dwelling on the negative side of war, they could feel compassion for their captors and repaid their imprisoned situation with kindness.

The world we live in today is filled with more hate and distrust than I can remember. Many people can no longer disagree without hating one another. Everyone blames someone else for their troubles. Social media comments are full of hateful, rude comments. Political parties blame each other for what’s wrong with our country. Church members get mad at each other and move on to someplace different. We see more cheating and fan anger in sports, even reaching into the lives of our children’s events. Road rage, hate speech, and violence are seen every day. 

Even so, amid all the negatives, hope is seen in the lives of people of all ages. The problem is that we spend too much time telling of the negative things and sharing the positive side too little. Our children will grow up living the way we teach them. If we teach violence as how to handle anger, it can become part of their way of handling their problem situations. If we show that cheating is okay, they will learn to cheat, not only in sports but in all parts of life, to get ahead. They will learn what we teach them.

More time and effort must be put into showing how to be kind in a world of unkindness. We should be teaching them to learn to be a helper instead of demeaning those who are less capable. Let them hear us use words of love and care instead of jealousy and hate. Teach them kindness to all people, even those with whom we disagree.

By our actions show kindness. By our actions show forgiveness. By our actions show love. By our actions, we can be positive in a hostile world. Change the world by our actions. By our actions, we let the world see what it means to be Jesus.

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:19-24 (NASB)

(Story of Andy Hodges taken from “Behind Nazi Lines” by Andrew Gerow Hodges, Jr. and Denise George; Penguin Random House, LLC., 2015)

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ