MERCY IN THE MIDST OF WAR

          In his book, A Higher Call, Adam Markos tells the story of two WWll pilots:  Charlie Brown (U.S.) and Franz Stigler (Germany). After a bombing run over Germany, Charlie Brown, the pilot of Ye Ole Pub, was trying desperately to return to England, but his B-17 bomber was so badly damaged that the likelihood of making it home was beyond slim.  To make matters even worse, Franz Stigler, a German ace, showed up on his left wing prepared to finish them off.  Against the orders of Adolf Hitler and The Third Reich, Franz made a decision to “let them go”.  Inexplicably, Franz “saluted” Charlie and turned aside and flew back to his German airbase. 

          Years later, after Charlie’s impassioned search for Franz during the post-war era, the two men met and became dearest friends. Franz had been raised in a home where faith was central.  Although he had been coerced into fighting on behalf of the German war machine, he refused to let go of that “higher calling” - - that upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philp.3:14).  The only explanation for what Franz did on that occasion is found in that manual for living that we call the Word of God.  What Franz did was more than just chivalrous - - he extended magnificent MERCY in the midst of a hellish war.  Don’t tell me the love of Christ is not transformational!

                                                                                                                        Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ