Compassion

I have mentioned before that I was able to attend this years Catalyst Conference in Atlanta because I lost my job.  (Which turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.)  I keep thinking about one of the moments of that conference that impacted all 13,000 attendees at the same time.

Jimmy was a young man from Africa.  He was a Compassion International child in the early 1990′s.  According to their website, “Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.”  Sponsors give a small donation each month to their child to provide basic necessities.  A sponsor is able to correspond with their child and really “watch” them grow up.

So, Jimmy was one of those kids from Africa.  His sponsor was a college kid named Mark from here in the United States.  Jimmy was invited to speak at Catalyst this year and as a part of his interview he read the first letter that Mark ever wrote him, way back in the early 1990′s.  The letter talked about Mark’s new found faith in Christ and how he hoped that one day Jimmy would experience the same joy of salvation that Mark had received.

Jimmy told his story of the horrible conditions surrounding his childhood and how his sponsor actually provided the money that saved his life through food, clothes, and education.  Then, Jimmy read his letter and was telling the crowd that he was now enrolled in seminary and wanted to graduate and go back to Africa to lead others to Christ.  At that point, Ken Coleman, the interview leader asked Jimmy if he had ever had a chance to talk with his sponsor apart from the letters they wrote.  Jimmy indicated that he had not had that opportunity and Ken then told Jimmy that Mark, his sponsor was at Catalyst.  Jimmy turned around and there was Mark walking across the stage.

What happened next is hard to write without tears.  Jimmy grabbed Mark in a huge bear hug and began to weep.  These were not just happy tears, he was weeping openly on the stage in front of 13,000 people.  Mark, his sponsor was weeping and Ken, the professional interviewer was having a hard time holding it together.  13,000 attendees at Catalyst lept to their feet, many of them were also crying, and gave at least a solid 2 minute standing ovation.  At one point, Jimmy was so overcome with emotion that he fell to his knees on the stage and just sobbed.

Jimmy was overwhelmed because he was meeting the man that literally saved his life.  The man that introduced him to Christ through letters and the occasional gift.  This was not someone that was simply thankful for Mark’s consistent giving to Compassion International.  This was someone whose life was CHANGED and he was so overcome that he could not even finish the interview on stage.

Why aren’t we more overcome at this time of year when we think about the birth of Jesus.  We are celebrating the birth of the man that forever changed our lives.  We should be on our knees in wonder over the willingness of God to send his Son to be crucified for us.

I cannot help but wonder how God felt that night as Jesus was born in that manger.  I know God knew what would happen, but I am sure as Mary and Joseph were gathered around the manger looking at their little baby boy, God felt a little twinge.  Here was His Son, part of himself, a son that would grow up to be put to death.  He looked at Mary and Joseph and knew that they would love Jesus as their own and that they too would be hurt as their Son was crucified.

I think about Jimmy’s reaction to meeting his Compassion International sponsor, Mark, and I hope that as we move through this Christmas season we think about how grateful we should be for our sponsor, Jesus.

Those of us at Catalyst ’09 in Atlanta saw first hand what it should look like when you meet the person that saved you.  Let that be your prayer this season: God, allow me to feel just how amazing your sacrifice was for me.  Allow me to become speechless as I think about your unending love for me.

It makes Christmas a little more interesting, don’t you think?