Branded and Labeled, "Diary of Anne Frank"

Today I saw the Diary of Anne Frank at our local college; my friend's daughter was in it. She was fabulous!! Just in case you're wondering the ending was the same. {sob, sob, sigh}v Ok, this is probably my longest post, so bear with me. I was moved in so many ways I feel like I will be taking you down the hopscotch trail!!


The scene opens with the Frank and the van Daan Families entering into hiding and taking cover in the attic. Right away I noticed the huge gold stars on their clothing. After settling, they began to rip off their “stars”, the mark of the Jew. They felt freedom and relief by removing this brand off their clothing. (A much differing perspective than what we see today, eh?) I shudder to think of it all! My spirit was so heavy when I left that play today and remains so this evening.


Moving along, at one point toward the end the boy, Peter van Daan, said he would “never be a Jew again” and Anne reacted, “What do you mean?! You would get baptized, become a Christian? You know you will always be Jew inside?”…Oh the agony and the truth in that statement….Once a Jew always a Jew in the sense of birth and what an honor, Chosen First among all to be the “race” of our blessed Messiah, Jesus! But we know that inside if he truly sought out Jesus he would be very different!


By this point my tears were rivers and my thoughts booming sounds of thunder. Then something Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee said came to my mind, “Why does anything have to be labeled "Christian?" Very good question! [isn't funny to think of someone you have never met in the midst of a family outting? and isn't it funny how one word, statement, or question can spark something in another person?]


I then began to think of “branding” and the use of the word Maverick for John McCain and how this term actually was for unbranded livestock. (long story, details not applicable) Anyway, being unbranded is a brand in and of itself. I agree with Linda especially in regards to how the emotion was portrayed by these young actors in this very real play. It does break my heart into many many pieces to think of how this young man felt the need to rip off his "label"; furthermore, turn his back on his religion and become Christian (not because of Jesus otherwise this would be a turning point) but because of the Nazi regime. Being a Jew was now marred in his sight, a horrible label, and would bring bnothing but horrible memories. Memories, that is if he would be so blessed to live and have them. But Anne’s father was the only one that lived.




This also made me think of how Christians are also branded with no visible marks like “the Star of David” or “the scars of our Lord”, but by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that was poured upon us when we believed in Jesus as our Savior. This brand is very real and very visible, especially when it is lacking – boy oh boy is it visible then (AMEN or OH ME!). So, I thought I would pose some questions to you that I have thought of often.




1. Do you know people who won’t put a Christian symbol on their car so if they speed they are not branded? (Same as Peter here? Removing our star and denouncing our birthright?)


The word says that (1) in Matthew 5:17-18 17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

A jot is the smallest letter in the Greek or even Hebrew alphabet and a tittle is the smallest mark (the dot of an I). Nothing will escapte our Christ; He is going to fulfill every bit of it, the laws and the prophesies.

2. Do you know people who will not send “labeled” Christmas cards that say “Jesus” in the event that friends or family are offended?


The word also says (2) in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 that 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. And Jeremiah 6:10 says “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.”

I often wonder how offensive it must be turning in (ratting on) someone who is threatening to harm themselves, others, or having an intervention for an addict but we do it because we love them and want them “safe”. We are to tell people about Jesus for the “safe” eternal dwelling of our loved ones. Hmmmm. Just a thought I have had.

3. Do you know people who remove their “label” in order to accomplish a fleshly or worldly task/desire?


Oh this one, #3, breaks our hearts doesn’t it? Do we know people who have turned their backs on Christ to have “fun” & be that prodigal in order to go experience things for themselves? This is one is much harder to touch. I think we have all done this in a way whether it lasted a long time or a brief time. But Hebrews 6:6 says this to us for this action, “if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”


And Hebrews 10:37-39, “37For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. 38But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”


And James 5:19-20, “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” {warm fuzzies and smiles here}

4. Ok, this one is scary, because believe me I am asking myself all these questions as well….do you know people who will remove their “label” in order to save their own life?”


Finally “saving our own lives” by denying Christ, I HOPE THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS NO FOR ALL OF US. And let us not be like Simon Peter by behaving in a way in order not be “united” with Christ in His sufferings. Let’s just say after reading the WORD, lessoned learned by Peter, but what about us? There may come a day where Christians may have to go into hiding like Anne and her family or the Ten Boom family. Do not forget either that families in other countries are having to meet in secret or be jailed even killed.


Take Hitler for example, he came into power very subtly at first. He basically snuck up on them all, on all of them really. First he helped them out of a financial crisis, then he began to put himself in the public’s eye in order to continue to caress the people in ways they wanted to hear. He also then he began to place his people into positions of power. Well the rest is horribly dark history, but just remember it began as a very sly sneak attack. {resembling that sly snake in the "Garden" no doubt!} Make no doubts that his “memoirs” were written and published BEFORE his rise to power, yet no one saw the signs. He made himself known in print then by sound bites with financial plans and I could go on but it is getting too sad and scary.


As moving as the Diary of Anne Frank is there is another lady, a matriarch to our Christian heritage, Corrie Ten Boom. Her family was Christian and they hid Jews from the Nazi Gestapo. Please read her story you will be blessed and not to mention on fire with the Spirit of the Mighty God. You must read about the "blessing of the lice and flees".



My point is that the Ten Boom family risked their lives to literally save others physically and eternally. Thereby fulfilling the blessing of our Lord when He said in Matthew 10:39, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” These people went into hiding to save their lives; these people went into hiding to save souls.


Hebrews 3:8 "do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert,"

Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

Hebrews 3:15 "As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."

Hebrews 4:7 "Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."


So dear friends and myself....don’t allow your heart to harden by the struggles and trials of today but proudly where your “label” or “brand”, share your faith, lose your life, and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness!! (Matthew 6:33)