A Tale of Two Tombs

Napoleon's Sarcophagus

Napoleon Bonaparte is buried inside the coffin pictured to the left. The massive brown marble contains an oak coffin. Inside that oak coffin are two lead coffins, one inside the other. Inside the lead coffins sits a tin-plate coffin that contains the body of Napoleon. The sarcophagus is located in Paris, France inside a building constructed specifically to house the body of the Emperor of France who was born August 15, 1769 and died May 5, 1821.

Napoleon's Tomb

The building constructed by Parisians to house their emperor's sarcophagus is easily seen as one looks at the skyline of Paris. The ostentatious setting for Napoleon's final resting place is consistent with the Emperor's lifetime desire to shake his roots of poverty and live the life of exalted ruler. Born on the island of Corsica to poor peasants, Napoleon rose through the ranks of the French military during the French Revolution and eventually became First Counsel of the French Republic in 1799. Napoleon would soon believe, however, that absolute power was needed to fulfill his desire to conquer the world. On December 2, 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself "Emperor of France." Europe's royalty gathered in the Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of Paris, France as Napoleon fulfilled his life-long dream of power, authority and riches. During the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800's, over 13 million people died.

Mother Eva's Tomb

Rachelle and I visited Napoleon's Tomb this week on our way back to the states from a week of ministry in Poland. We couldn't help but draw a comparison between Napoleon's life and his tomb and the life and tomb of a German woman that we learned about during a week of ministry in Poland this past week.

Eva von Tiele-Winckler (1866-1930) was born in southeastern Germany (modern day Poland) into a family of nobility and wealth. Eva had a conversion experience at the age of 17 after reading John 10. She established a home called Friedenshort, meaning "an abode of peace," for women who desired to follow and serve the Lord. Forsaking her life of privilege and riches, Eva opened homes for orphans, widows, the poor and the infirm. By the end of her lifetime, over 40 homes had been established in Germany through her labor. Eva also preached the gospel in women's prisons and set up homes where these women could live when discharged from prison. She eventually sent a number of the women whom she discipled to China to serve with the China Inland Mission. Other women under Eva's influence went to serve in Guatemala, Africa, and India. Eva herself was greatly influenced by George Mueller and was personally encouraged by contact with Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis, Hudson Taylor, the Welsh Revival, and the Keswick Convention.


The orphans that Eva helped in her lifetime numbered in the thousands. It was these orphans who gave to Eva the name "Mother Eva" for the care she gave to them as if she was their own mother. Mother Eva is buried on the grounds of the old German orphanage she founded. She insisted before her death that  name should not be placed on the tombstone and only two Latin words should be etched in the stone: "Ancilla Domini" which means "servant of the Lord."

Very few people know about Mother Eva. Most everyone knows about Napoleon. Mother Eva's life brought eternal life to thousands. Napoleon's life brought death and destruction to millions. Mother Eva sought to expand the kingdom of Christ. Napoleon sought to expand his kingdom on earth. Mother Eva gave up riches for the poor. Napoleon sought riches after being born poor. Mother Eva has a small, unmarked grave. Napoleon is buried in a massive sarcophagus and building that bears his name.

Would to God that we bear the spirit of Eva and not that of Napoleon.

A Visual Reminder That What Is Important In Life Is Internal and Eternal

We live in a world obsessed with beauty and trying to stay young. We who live in western cultures, encouraged by the media, put a premium on the body and those things that are temporal. TIME Magazine profiled the first "supermodel," a woman named Veruschka, by placing her on the cover of the magazine in 1967. It is reported that Hollywood director James Cameron and his special effects team were inspired by Veruschka and modeled Navi in Avatar after Cameron's memory of seeing Veruschka in magazines when he was  a boy of 16.

Veruschka, pictured to the left as she appeared in October of 1965, graced the cover of many major magazines in the 1960's and 1970's. She started the "waif" figure among models, and earned superstar status as a model, earning a fortune in the process.

Today, Veruschka is 71 years of age. The core person we know as Veruschka is the same. Her soul remains intact. She is a human being, created in the image of God--but the effects of a world cursed by sin have been felt by Veruschka, as it will be by us all. Veruschka modeled today for the first time in many years. One has to admire her presence on the model runway, and the courage she exhibited. Her appearance this October 2010 illustrates the truth of two verses of Scripture.

"Charm can be deceptive and beauty doesn’t last, but a woman who fears and reverences God shall be greatly praised" (Proverbs 31:30 TLB)

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (II Corinthians 4:16 ISV).

I too am growing old. I can't run like I used to, play softball as well, or hit the golf ball as far. My eyes are weak, my skin is dry and getting winkled, and my hair is thinner and more brittle.

That's life.

I don't get discouraged. The older I get the more I appreciate the grace of God in my life. He renews me inwardly every day. My outlook is more positive, my understanding of God's goodness is deeper, and my appreciation for His blessings in Christ Jesus far outweigh any discouragement over a decline in physical health or appearance. We are in the middle of a series on Sunday morning at our church entitled "The Difference Christ Makes." It seems to me one of the major differences He makes in the lives of those who trust Him is the ability to not draw our worth and signficance from outward beauty. Anyone who does is doomed to end their life in failure. But those of us who know Jesus Christ don't despair when we lose what we once had, including our physical beauty.