FUMBLING THE BALL

“Live [compassionately], friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.”  (Galatians 6:1-3 MSG)                   

Churches that focus on compassion and love, that are rooted in the spiritual dimension, over time enhance their ability to offer creative and life-giving ministries and mission, but churches that focus solely on ministry and mission can lose their souls if they forget to love people involved in them. A major component, then, of spiritual leadership is being a compassionate leader…

There’s a comment made in many churches that I’ve always hated: “So-and-so dropped the ball on that one.” What this means is that a person agreed to do something, but then failed, for whatever reason, to accomplish it. What bothers me about the phrase is that it shows a lack of compassion. The phrase has its origins in football: a player fumbles and “drops the ball,” which messes up the offense. The reality is that in football, people fumble. They don’t fumble intentionally. It’s always a mistake. Sometimes they fumble because they are trying too hard to do too much. Sometimes they fumble because they lose sight of the ball. Sometimes they fumble because they are anxious or afraid. Nobody fumbles on purpose. But on good teams, when players fumble, it is up to the rest of the team either to get the ball back or to prevent the other team from capitalizing on the fumble. Good team leaders tell the rest, “Don’t worry about the fumble. Just focus on what we need to do, and eventually we’ll get another opportunity. And if we fumble again, we all have to get the ball back.”

Compassionate leaders recognize that people don’t fail on purpose. They fail for a variety of reasons, including not knowing how to do something, trying to do too much, losing sight of the goal, or lacking confidence. Good leaders have compassion and let people know that it is OK to make mistakes or fail, that a new opportunity will eventually present itself, and that the person is still valued and important. 

-- N. Graham Standish in “Becoming a Blessed Church: Forming a Church of Spiritual Purpose, Presence, and Power”

#6482

MARY’S SONG – Part 2 of 2

“From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.”  (Luke 1:48b–50 NIV)

Second, Mary focused on the holiness of God by simply putting breath to four little words: “holy is His name” (v. 49b). For Mary to trust in an uncertain future, she had to look back at the certainty of a holy God. As Mary sang of the holiness of God, her song resonated with David’s song found in Psalm 111:9 that reads: “He provided redemption for His people; He ordained His covenant forever -- holy and awesome is His name.” Mary was looking back and remembering the unchanging nature of God. The God who was faithful and holy then, is still faithful and holy now.

Last, she sang of the mercy of God by declaring: “His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation” (v. 50). Again, perhaps Mary took a cue from the Psalms and made it her own. The psalmist David wrote:

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
      slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
      nor will He harbor His anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
      or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
      so great is His love for those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
      so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
      so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him…” (103:8–13)

Whatever stressors you have in your life today, take some notes from Mary. Remind those stressors about the mightiness of God, the holiness of God, and the mercy of God. Then look forward to what God has in store. 

-- Excerpted from “Wake-Up Call” with Mark Sorensen 

#6267

DISCIPLESHIP… COMPASSIONATE CARING

"As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

South African pastor Trevor Hudson identifies compassionate caring as the distinguishing mark of faithful discipleship: “Compassionate caring creatively balances the inward-outward dynamic so characteristic of Jesus’ life, saves us from falling prey to the latest fad in the spiritual supermarket, and catapults our lives into a deeper engagement with the brokenness of our world.” 

In a world saturated with spiritual trends and political slogans, Trevor Hudson’s words cut through the noise with clarity: true discipleship is marked not by novelty, but by compassion. Jesus didn’t chase popularity or perform for applause. He moved toward the broken, the weary, the overlooked -- with a heart full of mercy and a life poured out in love.

Compassionate caring is not sentimentalism. It’s a radical posture of the heart that refuses to separate spiritual formation from social engagement. It’s the kind of love that listens deeply, acts boldly, and suffers willingly. It’s the inward transformation that spills outward into a world aching for grace.

When we embrace this rhythm -- being formed by Christ and sent in His name -- we resist the temptation to treat faith as a consumer product or a political tool. Instead, we become conduits of healing, agents of hope, and reflections of the One who came not to be served, but to serve. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™, compiled from a variety of sources

#6239

COME AND SEE

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV)

From the depths of my soul, I desire for people to love and to be loved, to experience a sense of purpose from serving others, and to believe that their life matters.  I want people to feel connected, immersed in community, surrounded and sustained through all the setbacks and celebrations of living.  I genuinely desire for them to discover the inner life, and to learn to ease the suffering of greed and the pain of empty strivings.  I want them to discover that love is the better way, that patterns of violence and manipulation can be interrupted, that loneliness can be overcome and suffering relieved, and that there is a depth to life that is sacred and holy and worthy of exploration.

The spiritual life changes us and moves us from agitated to stillness, from anger to peace, from distressed about our own situations to compassionate about the circumstances of others.  I want people to discover life with God.

I want people to flourish, and for people to feel that life is worth living and people are worth loving and God is worth trusting.  I don't try to force anyone into a mold.  I don't want others to make all the choices I've made.  But I want them not to be alone, and to know that God loves them and that the things that matter most -- love, hope, peace, purpose -- are attainable when we open our hearts to God and follow the way we see in Jesus.  In Christ, a well-known road takes us to unknown places of enchantment, mystery, and meaning.

In my own way, always and everywhere for as long as I live, I want to say, "Come and see.  Come and explore grace, kindness, peace, humility, and hope.  See what it's like to make a difference and to let Christ interweave our lives into the fabric of community.  Come and see." 

-- Robert Schnase in “Five Practices of Fruitful Living”

#6199

CULTIVATING COMPASSION

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV)

Let me describe what it means to be truly present. Being present involves letting go of our constant preoccupations, immersing ourselves in the here and now, and giving ourselves wholeheartedly to whatever is at hand. …

It’s about becoming more aware, alert, awake to the fullness of the immediate moment. If we are with another person, it means engaging with him or her with all of our heart, our mind, our soul, and our strength.

Such wholehearted attention requires patience, time, and disciplined effort. And it is one of the greatest gifts that we can give to those around us, especially our suffering neighbor. 

-- Trevor Hudson in “A Mile in My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion,” © 2005 by Trevor Hudson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books

#6107

RESPONDING WITH COMPASSION

Every time the Gospels mention that Jesus was moved with the deepest emotions or felt sorry for people, it led to His doing something -- physical or inner healing, deliverance or exorcism, feeding the hungry crowds or praying for others. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) was commended precisely because he acted. The priest and Levite, paragons of Jewish virtue, flunked the test because they didn’t do anything. Jesus ask, “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the man who fell in with the robbers?” The answer came, “The one who treated him with compassion.” Jesus said to them, “Then go and do the same.” 

-- Brennan Manning in “Reflections for Ragamuffins”

#6079

WITH ALL YOUR HEART

“The most important [commandment],” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”  (Mark 12:29-31 NIV)

Sometimes our minds interfere with our hearts.  Logical objections get in the way of compassionate actions.  It’s not my responsibility.  I’m certainly not suggesting that you shouldn’t count the cost.  You should.  But if God is speaking to your heart, don’t let your mind get in the way of what God wants you to do.  Sometimes loving God with all your heart simply means listening to your heart instead of your head.

What does it mean to love God with all our hearts?

It means our hearts break for the things that break the heart of God.  It means we have identified the God-ordained passion that makes us glad, sad, or mad.  It means inaction is not an option, because the compassion of Christ is the driving motivation of our lives.

-- Mark Batterson in “PRIMAL: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity”

#6051

COMMUNITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.”  (1 Corinthians 13:4-6 NRSV)

It is essential to remember that our differences do not make us superior or inferior to one another – in churches, in communities, in politics. As members of the human family, we must strive to understand the other, reducing our tendencies to be arrogant or rude. Each of us has unique gifts to offer and roles to play, and it is through recognizing and valuing these differences that we can foster a sense of community and mutual respect.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:21, "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'" This powerful metaphor illustrates the importance of interdependence and collaboration. In politics, as in life, we all need each other to create a harmonious and functioning society.

Arrogance and rudeness often stem from a failure to acknowledge our interconnectedness. When we appreciate the diversity of our gifts and functions, we are drawn into a deeper understanding of our common humanity. Let us strive to approach political discourse with humility and respect, recognizing that every voice and perspective has something to offer. By doing so, we can build a more compassionate world. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6036

A DEEP COMPASSION

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”  (Romans 12:15 ESV)

Mary Jo Meadows defines compassion as "the quivering of the heart in response to another's suffering" and notes that "compassionate beings… cannot bear to see suffering and remain unengaged." Compassion is the quality of being able to "get inside the skin of another" in order to respond with loving concern and care. Jack Kornfield writes about the truly loving person breathing in the pain of the world and breathing out compassion. That is how deep compassion is, and how closely connected to others.

Each life influences and affects the other in some way. The more we see our world as a vast interconnectedness of all beings, the more drawn we will be to compassion because we will see how much one life is related to and affected by another. This spiritual oneness is at the heart of Christianity. Christ is the vine, and we are the branches. We are the body of Christ (John 15; 1 Corinthians 12). The life pulsing through us is the life of God giving us spiritual vitality.

Probably no quality more identifies a Christian than that of compassion.

-- Joyce Rupp in “The Cup of Our Life” 

#5882

CHOOSE NOW

"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.”

Hear how the God of creation Himself speaks of this matter. Here lies the whole of the divine mercy: It’s all on this side of the day of judgment. Till the end of time, God is compassionate and long-suffering, and continues to every creature a power of choosing life or death, prosperity or destruction; but when the end of time is come, there is an end of choice, and the last judgment is only a putting everyone into the full and sole possession of that which he has already chosen. 

-- Adapted from William Law in “An Appeal to All that Doubt”

#5802

IN TIMES OF SORROW

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12-13 NIV)

Many people have told me they “don’t know what to say” to the family of someone who has died and, sadly, for fear of saying the “wrong thing,” end up saying nothing at all. People in mourning need our support. In times of sorrow, one word, one gesture, can mean everything.

Each one of us must take the initiative. Hold someone’s hand. Send a poem [or Scripture verse], a photograph, a letter of remembrance. If you buy a card, add a personal message. If you feel awkward, simply say, “I’ve been thinking of you.” This will create an opening. Don’t ask what you can do. Anticipate and act. Listen. Be compassionate. Don’t give advice, philosophize, or tell the person you know how they’re feeling. You don’t. Statements such as “it was God’s will” or “Your loved one is better off now” are insensitive sentiments, akin to a poke with a sharp stick. It’s best to be true to yourself and to the person who has died. If you knew them well, create a picture, a memory of a time you spent together, for his or her family -- a night at the movies, an afternoon over a cup of tea, an ongoing joke only known to the two of you -- the most common recollection has uncommon meaning to people in mourning, particularly if it’s a story they’ve never heard. You have different memories than they do. Think of your reminiscence as a tiny eulogy, an addition to their family archives, and know that if it comes with compassion the contribution will be welcome. 

-- Nancy Cobb in “In Lieu of Flowers: A Conversation for the Living”

#5695

A REDEMPTIVE COMMUNITY

There are, I should say, four elements in a redemptive community.  It is personal, with things happening between people as well as to and in them individually; it is compassionate, always eager to help, observant but non-judgmental toward others, breathing out hope and concern; it is creative, with imagination about each one in the group and its work as a whole, watching for authentic new vision coming from any of them; and it is expectant, always seeking to offer to God open and believing hearts and minds through which He can work out His will, either in the sometimes startling miracles He gives or in steady purpose through long stretches where there is no special "opening".  It may fairly be said that unless one enmeshes oneself in this "redemptive fellowship" of the church, one lessens one’s chances of steady growth and effectiveness, in one’s Christian life and experience. 

-- Samuel M. Shoemaker (1893-1963) in “The Experiment of Faith,” adapted

#5386

THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV)

The word COMPASSION comes from two Greek roots: COM meaning "with" and PASSIO meaning "to suffer". To be compassionate is to enter into the suffering of another person and share in the pain -- “to suffer with.” When the burden of pain is shared, it is lightened. Each of us can point to experiences where a friend, a loved one, a nurse, a pastor, or a counselor helped us by understanding our pain and sharing it. This is what Christ does when we are hurting: Christ enters our pain and, in effect, wipes away our tears. 

-- Adapted from “Prepare Him Room” by Robert Martin Walker

#5003

BECOMING MORE EMPATHETIC

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”  (Romans 12:15)

Empathy is defined as the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions. You see someone going through a struggling situation and you don’t only feel bad for them, but also feel the pain that they are going through. You are able to put yourself into that situation and understand what they must be feeling. It’s more than just listening to a friend when they’re sad, it’s actively working to understand exactly how the person feels and why.

Empathy is one of the best ways for us to show other people that we love and care about them. God gave us the tools and skills to show genuine empathy to others. Christians can use empathy to show the Lord’s love at work… You can be their beacon of light if you let God work through you. If you have a specific situation where you cannot connect with someone, pray to God and ask Him to give you the wisdom. He can give your heart what it needs to let that other person in. 

-- Adapted from Megan Bailey at beliefnet.com

#4965

CULTIVATING COMPASSION

SPECIAL NOTE: This Sunday, March 29, marks the 21st anniversary of this SOUND BITES Ministry in memory of our son, Dustin, who had died the previous year. His death taught us about the power of compassion and that we need not walk this journey alone. Today, In the midst of Covid-19, “our times cry out for a mass movement of compassion.” While we are called to “shelter in place” or to be “safer at home,” we can still reach out to those in our sphere with virtual hugs, with phone calls to check in, with cards or e-mails expressing love and concern, and with prayers and support for those who are on the front lines of this war. From our homes we can become “everyday pilgrims whom God can use to bring healing to our broken world.” -- DW

CULTIVATING COMPASSION

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”  (Colossians 3:13 NIV)

Our times cry out for a mass movement of compassion. This urgent need coincides with the goal of the Christ-following life, for unless our faith makes us compassionate, it can hardly be called Christian.

Following Jesus means moving out of our privatized, isolated, and self-enclosed worlds into a compassionate engagement with our suffering neighbor. As we open ourselves to the pilgrimage experience,…  we journey from self-centeredness to compassion. May you and I become everyday pilgrims whom God can use to bring healing to our broken world.

-- Trevor Hudson in “A Mile in My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion”

#4808

THE HANDS OF GOD

“But while [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”  (Luke 15:20b-24 NIV)

Henri Nouwen wrote a beautiful book in 1992 called “The Return of the Prodigal Son”. It is a sustained reflection upon what Rembrandt did with Jesus’ story in Luke 15. The painting, which hangs in The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, portrays an aged, nearly blind father embracing his ragged son come home. The left hand is strong, muscular. The right hand is soft, tender, like a mother’s hand. The light is focused on those hands, which Nouwen describes:

“From the moment I first saw [the painting], I felt drawn to those hands. I did not fully understand why. But gradually over the years I have come to know those hands. They have held me from the hour of my conception … They have protected me in times of danger and consoled me in times of grief. They have waved me good-bye and always welcomed me back. Those hands are God’s hands.” …

All of us are like that son, needing more desperately than anything else the strong and gentle embrace of the hands of God. We must be those hands for each other -- not someday, but today.

--  James C. Howell in “Yours Are the Hands of Christ”


#4752

TENDER AND COMPASSIONATE

“The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.”  (Psalm 103:13-14 NLT)

Several years ago a man I know was going through the painful process of trying to break an addiction. One day he asked me if I would joy down a list of encouraging Scriptures that he could carry with him at all times. Happy to do it, I chose ten of my favorites, typed them up, and handed the list to him at church. A few weeks later, I asked him if he still had the list and was using it. He said he was, and that the Scripture he found most encouraging was number six on the list, none other than Psalm 103:13-14.

He said he’d grown up with the notion that Jesus was a strict disciplinarian who was watching his every move, just waiting for him to slip up. He said the guilt and fear that image created in him was paralyzing. Then he read David’s words from Psalm 103, and it was as if the sun broke through the clouds. The words “tender” and “compassionate” were words he’d never associated with God. Suddenly, he had a whole new appreciation for Jesus, a deeper love for Him than ever before, and a stronger desire than ever to try to please Him.

-- Mark Atteberry in “Free Refill: Coming Back for More of Jesus”


#4751