During the 2nd world war, the German army confiscated church bells in the Netherlands to re-melt them into guns. It was a perverse reversal of the message of the prophets, who predicted that God will have his way with the nations and then “they will beat their swords into plough-shares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Is.2).

Church bells are meant to be a call to worship and prayer. So are we: Called to incite to worship God. Paul taught us not “to offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness”, but rather “offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” (Rom.6:13ff).

During the German occupation, Dutch people would say:
“Those who shoot with a church-bell,
won’t end well.”

Well, I’m not poet(!), but I like to suggest an alternative motto:
“May my life be meaningful,
Let it be a worship-tool”

Arie Verduijn

(photo, Trouw: A bell that was saved)