Compassion

Today we will consider another in the long list of necessary traits for sports chaplains and sports mentors – Compassion. It can be defined this way: “Compassion is a human emotion prompted by the pain of others. More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering.”

The Bible is full of expressions of our Lord’s compassion and this one is among my favorites:


Psalm 103:13-14 (New International Version)


13 "As a father has compassion on his children,


so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;


14 for he knows how we are formed,


he remembers that we are dust."

We who serve the men and women of sport must be conscious of each one’s background and the factors which have brought him or her to this place. Many are from homes with poor parents, no parents and at least ½ in the USA come from broken families. We must be mindful of from what they are made – as the Lord is aware that we are made from dust.

We must treat our work with them as a long-term process and not think that we can solve all of life’s issues with one simple prayer, a ritual or with a skillful talk. It may have taken 20 years for the knots in the person’s heart to be tied, it may take a while to untie those knots of sin and brokenness.

We must also exercise compassion with coaches, administrators and other adults in the system. Let’s be mindful of the pressures, the weight of decisions, the constantly changing factors and the relational dynamics which result in their reactions to people or situations. Many of these people are just as fragile in heart as they youngest players they lead. These adults just have more powerful positions and a more mature appearance.

Let’s purpose in our hearts to practice compassion as an essential part of our ministries. Let’s remember how the people of sport are formed, knowing that they are made of dust, as are we. Let’s care deeply for them and thus wisely reflect our Lord’s heart toward those who revere Him.