"Nonviolence was not a theory superimposed upon reality; it was an itinerary that we explored day after day in communal prayer and in obedience to the commands of the Spirit."
Andre Trocme served as the Protestant Pastor of Le Chambon, a small village in France. During the Nazi occupation of France, he and his villagers provided refuge for more than 2500 Jews. An impoverished refugee during World War I, Trocme's ministry was very committed to the principles of the Sermon on the Mount and a the belief that the essence of the gospel lay in the love of God and neighbor.
He was so successful in instilling these core values in those he served, that when France fell to the Germans in 1940, the village of Le Chambon became one of the safest places for Jews in all of occupied Europe. Despite attention from the Vichy police and even the Gestapo, the village persisted. Trocme himself was even detained and later went into hiding. But the village persisted in their work.
What is most remarkable to me is that Trocme and his villagers didn't consider what they were doing remarkable. They were doing nothing more than living out the gospel. What could be simpler?
Wow!
I'm astounded by the commitment, faith and courage displayed by Trocme and the people of Le Chambon. If they can live out the gospel in the face of such frightening odds and consequences, what's stopping me in my ordinary life? My Easter prayer is that my commitment to Christ and love for my fellow man is as unshakable.
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