Looking into the eyes of that precious little boy with the beautiful curls wrecked me. For the first time, I saw the actual horrors of the Holocaust not only as an historic travesty committed against the innocent by evil men, but as another grotesque attempt by the evil one to steal, kill, and destroy the redeeming work of Jesus.

Walking into the room that day, I had no idea what to expect. Cameras, lights and mics were being set up for the recording of a documentary, and I had been invited to be a part of the audience. I was intrigued by the topic, so as a favor to the director, I showed up.

The documentary tells the story of an unusual artist. She’ll tell you she’s not one; “I’m only a pencil in God’s hand.” Her rare, artistic gift didn’t appear until after she retired. She thought a lot about drawing through the years, even dreamed of learning how, but never tried or even took an art lesson.

The day she bought a pad and pencil in 2017, she went home and started perusing the internet for inspiration. A little boy’s face caught her attention, and she wondered if she could draw him. Sitting at her kitchen table she began to move her new pencil over the empty page of the sketch pad. She started with his eyes. In just a short while, she noticed him peeking out at her from the paper. He was there. It was as if this little boy had been hiding in there all along, waiting for her to “draw” him out.

In a few days, the artist’s first portrait was complete. The little boy, whose name was Hersch, had found his way onto the paper and into her heart.

From West Columbia, SC, Mary Burkett, whose art has traveled to many countries around the world, discovered that the source of her inspiration, Hersch, was a child who was murdered at Auschwitz, all because of his Jewish descent.

Hersch and his compelling story captured Mary’s heart as God unleashed in her an ability to draw for His glory and purpose. She began searching for more pictures of these children, before their lives were horrifically snuffed out by the Nazis — when they were simply loved, safe, and without a care in the world.

God unwrapped the gift He had saved for Mary—for such a time as this. And her first gift to the world is a collection of 27 portraits called Beloved: Children of the Holocaust.

This was the story I experienced sitting in the audience that day. I found myself on the edge of my seat as Mary unveiled portrait after portrait, telling story after story of her little loves. Each one pricked my heart deeper as I pondered the spiritual significance of her art. These are not just children, I thought, these are my little Jewish sisters and brothers descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Some of them were the same age as the children ripped from their mother’s arms and murdered at the hands of king Herod when Jesus was born. Their Jewish heritage is more than their DNA, they are God’s chosen people—the people around whom all of history revolves, and through whom the Messiah was born.

Over the past several years, studying the Bible in the context of the Hebrew language and through the lens of the Jewish culture, I’ve fallen in love with God’s chosen more and more. As a Gentile, grafted into the divine lineage by God’s grace and through my faith in Jesus Christ, I sense an even deeper connection to the Jewish people than I ever have before. Developing a Biblical worldview provides a fresh, and broader perspective.

Tears began to spill when Mary unveiled one particular portrait from the collection of the Beloved. His name was Israel. I was staring into the face of Jacob’s namesake many generations down the line. Jacob, in the Old Testament, was renamed Israel by Jehovah God and became the father of the nation of Israel. The nation whom God set apart to display His glory, holiness, and loving kindness for generations to come.

For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession (Psalm 135:4, ESV).

Looking into the eyes of that precious little boy with the beautiful curls wrecked me. For the first time, I saw the actual horrors of the Holocaust not only as an historic travesty committed against the innocent by evil men, but as another grotesque attempt by the evil one to steal, kill, and destroy the redeeming work Jesus has done and will continue to do until He returns (John 10:10). God’s story of His love and faithfulness involves the survival of the Jewish people. His plan will never be thwarted. And one day soon, all that has been broken by sin will be completely made new.

Israel looked at me that day, straight into my eyes and heart, and reminded me that I’m commanded to love, pray for, care for, and fight for his people. My encounter with that little boy and the artist who discovered him hidden inside her sketch pad have reframed my love for God’s chosen people forever. May we never forget.

Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt (Psalm 123: 3, ESV)

Melanie Shull
is an author, speaker, podcast host, and musician, in addition to her dual role as Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Living Real Magazine. She adores all things Christmas, coffee, and comfy. Her heart belongs to Jesus, but her heartstrings are firmly attached to her husband, Rick, and their two grown children.