Summary of “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten Boom

This is probably my favorite book EVER. Why? Because it is helping me to forgive people that I have hated for years. It is teaching me how to love people that I can’t stand. It contains detailed instructions about how to be truly happy. I am going to be reading this book again and again.

It is the true story of Corrie ten Boom and her family living in Holland during World War II. The ten Boom family are devote Christians who love and serve EVERYONE they meet.

So it is no big surprise when they start hiding Jews during the German occupation of Holland. In fact, they not only hide a few Jews but become ringleaders in a large network of people trying to save Jews from being taken to concentration camps.

In these pages, you will learn of a family that is so kind and loving, you will long to be like them. They serve constantly and there is never an ounce of prejudice or judgment as they treat every human being as a precious child of God. They would literally give their lives to help another person.

Applications to Improving Relationships

I don’t want to give all the details of the story. You should definitely read it yourself. But here are some of the things I’ve been learning from it:

1. I don’t need to worry about my weaknesses or lack of love for others. I need only ask for God’s love for others.

2. The same with forgiveness. I often don’t have the capacity or even willingness to forgive, but I just need to ask to feel God’s forgiveness for that person.

3. God can give you the talents needed for the job. He gave Corrie strength and courage and cleverness to run an underground resistance for several years. But it wasn’t her talents, it was God’s. When it was time for her to do other things with her life, those talents were taken away and she was given other talents that were needed at the time.

4. I can be grateful in all things. Betsie gave thanks for the fleas in their dormitory in the concentration camp. Corrie thought she was crazy to be thankful for that. But one day they found out that none of the guards would come in their dormitory BECAUSE of the fleas. It was their safe place where they could read the Bible and uplift each other.

5. Loving all people and serving others makes you happy. Selfishness is a disease that makes you miserable.

6. All human beings are of equal worth. Would you give up your life for a stranger’s baby? The ten Boom family considered it the greatest honor that could come to their family. One scene describes a pastor in their town who stormed out of the room at the thought of endangering his family to save a Jewish child.

7. When you are able to forgive the very people who have hurt you and abused you or who did nothing while you were suffering, then you are truly free and happy.

8. All these things are possible through Jesus Christ. The miracle of forgiveness and loving those who have hurt you are only possible through Jesus Christ. Focus on Jesus Christ instead of your sufferings or hating your persecutors. He can make beauty for ashes and make wonderful things happen in your life.

9. There are no “ifs” in God’s plan and management of the world. God’s will is “the hiding place” where all of us can find refuge.

Conclusion

This is a great book. Read it. Let it transform your life as it has mine. Stop thinking so much about yourself and start serving others and focusing on Christ’s love and power. For this is the key to true happiness.