Church

Opening day for Major League Baseball is right around the corner. One of the things I love most about baseball is how it is built on fundamentals. From Little League to the MLB, certain things never change. For example, if you hit a double but miss first base on your way to second, you can be called out if an alert infielder notices. It would do you little good to beg the umpire for another chance to run the bases. You broke the rules and there is no such thing as a second chance in baseball. Thankfully, God is a more gracious umpire. Life has certain rules and we definitely break them. The message of Easter is that we can start again. But it's even more than that. It's about taking what has been dead (morally or spiritually) and bringing it back to life.

What can we do to develop the habit of showing compassion? Let me share with you four important things to remember. 1. We must look beyond outward appearances. In other words, don't judge a book by its cover. In particular, don’t assume everyone is fine. This is especially true in the part of Denver I live in. Douglas County is bright, shiny, wealthy, and everyone appears to be fine. Nice house, nice car, nice family, nice life. Behind closed doors, many of those nice lives are falling apart. 2. We must be willing to care. Elie Wiesel was a young Jewish boy who was a prisoner in the German concentration camp. As an adult, hee wrote the book Night based on his experience. He had this to say about caring: “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite…

It might be easy for us to see how Jesus showed compassion to two blind guys. That makes sense. They were blind. Likewise, most of us would have feelings of compassion towards someone with a broken arm or who was just diagnosed with cancer. But how do you feel towards those who mess up? Do you feel compassion towards those who willingly rebel or make poor choices? 1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what…

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” - Matthew 20:29-31 It’s not surprising to find two blind men begging along the road. Jericho was known for producing balsam, believed to be help treat eye defects. Because of its reputation, it attracted people who were looking for help. It’s also not surprising to find the crowd rebuking them. Rather than putting themselves in the shoes of the blind men and feeling sympathetic to their situation, the crowd responds the way many of us would: harshly. Why? Compassion for others does not come…

I’ve conducted my fair share of funerals and have been to many more. One particular passage is very popular at funerals. It's Psalm 23 … The Lord is My Shepherd: 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of…