Holding A Stranger’s Hand

A starving prisoner kneels in the mud so a stranger won’t die alone. That image, carried from a liberated WWII camp, sets the compass for everything that follows. We talk about what real courage looks like when no one is watching, how ordinary choices either feed cruelty or push back against it, and why small acts of dignity can outlast the roar of any regime.

From there, we connect the dots across Scripture and history. Colossians points us toward marriages shaped by love and respect, the kind that hold steady when the world shakes. Revelation confronts the spectacle of corrupt power and reminds us that empires built on appetite burn out. Psalm 145 brings us back to God’s character—near to the broken, slow to anger, rich in mercy—calling us to pray like it matters. Alongside that, we spotlight First Lieutenant Henry G. Bonebrake’s grit at Five Forks and revisit President Truman’s 1947 Christmas message, where the star over Bethlehem becomes a summons to peace with integrity.

The throughline is simple and demanding: defend human dignity, start at home, and carry hope into public life. Whether you’re strengthening your family, serving your community, or standing up to lies, your steady faithfulness matters. Listen for the story that frames it all, reflect on the Scriptures that guide us, and leave with concrete steps to practice courage in the everyday.

If this conversation stirred something in you, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. Your voice helps this message reach the people who need it most.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome, Prayer, And Gratitude
• 2:37 Peter’s Final Act At Stalag X-B
• 6:00 Warnings About Destructive Ideologies
• 7:30 Marriage And Family Roles In Colossians
• 8:45 Revelation’s Vision Of Power And Judgment
• 12:10 Psalm 145 And God’s Nearness
• 15:00 Proverbs 30:32 And Humility
• 16:20 Medal Of Honor: Henry G. Bonebrake
• 18:50 Truman’s 1947 Christmas Message

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:01

Hey folks, this is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American Soul Podcast. Hope y'all are doing well. Wherever y'all are, whatever part of the day you're in, I sure do appreciate you joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and attention, a little piece of your day. I hope you're getting to listen to it with someone else. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast with others, tell others about it. Thank you. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast, thank you. Very, very grateful for your prayers. Father, thank you for today. Thank you for you, Father, and your son Jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love and your mercy, your grace and your forgiveness of sins through the merit of your son Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_01: 0:53

Thank you for all your many blessings, Father. Forgive us our lack of gratitude. Forgive us our pride, greed, arrogance, our vanity, Father, that we think we've done all this. Instead of acknowledging that it's from your hand, your blessings.

SPEAKER_00: 1:21

Thank you for those listening to the podcast, wherever they are, be with them. Surround them with your angels, protect them from evil of any kind. Help us to do your will, Father, above all else, to love you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. To love our neighbors as ourselves.

SPEAKER_01: 1:39

Be with our leaders, both in the state and in the pulpit. Keep them safe, give them wisdom and courage and a strong faith. Help them to rule, to lead in fear of you. Be with their families, their wives, their children. Go for them.

SPEAKER_00: 1:58

Bless them. Be with our military, our law enforcement, those who are willing to go out, fight against evil and the dark and the cold, the rain and the snow, our firefighters, our EMS.

SPEAKER_01: 2:17

Keep them safe, bring them home safe to their families. And guide my words here, Father. Please. Your son's name we pray. Amen. So I'm gonna throw my father under the bus again.

SPEAKER_00: 2:42

Today he sent me something that I wanted to pass on to y'all. This is from San Bostel, if I'm saying that correctly, probably not, Germany. The eighteenth of April, nineteen forty-five. A single act of humanit humanity in a place designed to destroy it. When British forces entered Stalag XB Sanbostel on april eighteenth, nineteen forty five, they walked into a nightmare. Over thirty thousand prisoners, Soviet, Polish, Dutch, French, Roma, political prisoners, and civilians, lay collapsed across open fields, barns, and rotting huts. Many were too weak to rise. Some begged for water. Others only stared, their eyes empty, their bodies fading. Disease, starvation and neglect had turned the camp into a graveyard of the living. In the midst of that horror, a young British medic noticed two men in the mud. One was moments from death. The other a Dutch prisoner named Peter was scarcely stronger, trembling from starvation, barely conscious himself, and yet he refused to move. He knelt in the mud, holding the stranger's hand with both of his own, gently stroking his knuckles as if trying to bring him back to the world. He's dying, Peter whispered, but he shouldn't die alone. The medic tried to help, but within minutes the man's breathing faded. Still he lay with his fingers curled around Peter's. Only when the medic touched Peter's shoulder did he finally let go. Shaking, exhausted, he murmured. No one here had anyone left. Today he had me. Peter died the next morning before the field hospitals could reach him. The medic later wrote that he had seen bravery in war many times, but never anything like that. A starving man giving the last of his strength not to survive, but to ensure a stranger didn't die without dignity. In a camp where death was everywhere, Peter's final act of kindness became something that survived them both.

SPEAKER_01: 5:23

Neither of these were Jews, folks. This is what fascism, socialism, communism, Nazism, leftism, Islam all lead to. This is the evil, this is the end of the road. Every time, without failure, if those ideologies are allowed to progress like a terminal cancer. And regardless of their intentions, regardless of any possible supposed well-meaning, it is the everyday citizens that enable the leaders of these ideologies to push this far.

SPEAKER_00: 6:42

You need to understand that here in America today, and if you're listening, in pretty much any part of the Western world, certainly the UK, it applies as well. Really eighteen and nineteen, but I always add twenty and twenty-one. Wives, be subject to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. Scripture from today. One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls came over and spoke to me. Come with me, he said, and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute who rules over many waters. The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality. So the angel took me in the spirit into the wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, and blasphemy blasphemes against God were written all over it. The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality. A mysterious name was written on her forehead, Babylon the Great, mother of all prostitutes and obscenities in the world. I could see that she was drunk, drunk with the blood of God's holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement. Why are you so amazed? the angel asked. I will tell you the mystery of this woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns on which she sits. The beast you saw was once alive, but isn't isn't now, and yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world whose names were not written in the book of life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died. This calls for a mind with understanding. The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills where the woman rules. They also represent seven kings. Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief. The scarlet beast that was but is no longer is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he too is headed for destruction. The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give him their power and authority. Together they will go to war against the lamb, but the lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and king of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him. Then the angel said to me, The waters where the prostitute is ruling represent masses of people of every nation and language. The scarlet beast and his ten horns all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire. For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled. And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world. Psalm 145, verses 1 through 21. I will exalt you, my God and king, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day. Yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the Lord, he is most worthy of praise. No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts. Let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic glorious splendor, and your wonderful miracles. Your awe inspiring deeds will be on every tongue. I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness. They will sing with joy about your righteousness. The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom. They will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises. He is gracious in all he does. The Lord helps the fallen and lifts lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope. You give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in everything he does. He is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him. He hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked. I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever. Proverbs thirty verse thirty two. If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame. Medal of Honor for today Henry G Bonebrake, first lieutenant U.S. Civil War, Gulf Company, seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, U.S. Army. April first, eighteen sixty five, five Vork Forks, Virginia. As one of the first of Devon's division to enter the works, he fought in hand to hand struggle with a Confederate to capture his flag by superior physical strength. Accredited to Franklin County, Pennsylvania, not awarded posthumously, presented may third, eighteen sixty five, born june twenty first, eighteen thirty eight, Waynesboro, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, died october twenty sixth, nineteen twelve, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Buried Green Hill Cemetery, PMHJ one hundred sixty five, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, United States. Henry G. Bonebreak. Interesting one of the few where he lived or was born and died in the same place. President Harry S. Truman's Christmas message for 1947 delivered at the address at the lighting of the National Community Christmas tree on the White House South Lawn, December 24th, 1947. My fellow Americans, once more we gather around the National Community Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. Two thousand years ago, a star shone in the eastern sky, and wise men followed it to a humble stable in Bethlehem. There they found a child who was to become the Savior of mankind. Tonight that same star shines in our hearts, and we too follow it in spirit to the manger where the Christ was born. Let us hearken again to the angel choir singing, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. These are the words that have echoed down the centuries. They are the words that give us hope in our own time. In a world torn by strife and fear, they remind us that peace is possible if men will follow the teachings of the Christ child. We in the United States have much for which to be thankful this Christmas. Our people are at peace. Our farms and factories are producing abundantly. Our freedoms are secure, yet we are not content. We know that millions throughout the world still live in want and fear. We know that the peace for which we fought so hard is still threatened. In this holy season let us rededicate ourselves to the ideals of Bethlehem. Let us resolve to do all in our power to bring peace on earth and good will among men. Let us remember the words of the prophet Micah, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. May the light of the Christmas star guide us in the year ahead. May it lead us to a world in which the brotherhood of man is a living reality. To all the peoples of the earth I extend heartfelt Christmas greetings, and to my own countrymen I say, May God grant you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year filled with peace and goodwill.

SPEAKER_01: 17:19

Kind of round things up today. Remember Germany Standhurst or however you say that World War II.

SPEAKER_00: 17:35

Remember the act of the medic and his kindness, but remember Peter and his bravery and sacrifice. But also remember this is where that evil is where leftism, socialism, Nazism, communism, fascism, Islam, where they lead. And they'll keep leading their folks until they're checked. Every time, every single time. They will not stop unless forced to. Think about marriage, folks, if you're married. Remember what? Colossians 3, 18 and 19. Remember your roles as a husband or a wife. You look at scripture, I would encourage you if you're struggling, if you're hurting, even if you're not, just regardless, you go back to Psalms 145, and you look at verse 18, the Lord is close to all who call on him. To all who call on him in truth. How often do we call on the Lord? Are we really desperate for his presence, his help?

SPEAKER_01: 18:59

Instead of just kind of as a passing thought.

SPEAKER_00: 19:07

Don't forget Henry Bonebreak, cavalry officer from the Civil War, who struggled hand-to-hand combat. Don't forget those who cared about him too. Back home, wife, mother, sisters, father, brother. And then President Truman's message. Help us remember, right, to turn back to Bethlehem, to that humble stable manger where the child who is the savior of all mankind was born. Help us to remember that our freedoms are only secured as long as we defend them. And that we have a responsibility to strive. To bring peace on earth and goodwill among men, not only to ourselves, but to those who are still living in want and fear. But to remember, folks, to remember that that star, that that hope that the wise men followed is the great hope of every single person that's ever existed.

SPEAKER_01: 20:26

And if you haven't turned to him, I cannot recommend that enough.

SPEAKER_00: 20:37

If you are looking for a family-friendly middle grade read along the lines of Narnia, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, you would check out Countryside. And if you enjoy those two books that are in the series so far, if you would leave a review somewhere, I would greatly appreciate that. And if you feel like you're getting something out of the podcast on a regular basis, if you have three or four or five dollars that you can donate to the podcast each month, there's a website on the Buzz Sprout website for the podcast where you can set that up, and I would be very grateful for that. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever.

unknown: 21:39

Amen.

SPEAKER_00: 21:39

God bless y'all. God bless your families. God bless your marriages if you're married. God bless your nation wherever you are around the world. God bless America. We'll talk to y'all again real soon, folks. Looking forward to it.