Keith and Sharon create their own personal Devotionals from lessons they have learned from the Bible and their life experiences. Their hope and prayer is to reach others on-and-off the baseball field. They would enjoy hearing from you. Their E-mail addresses are given at the end of each personal E-devotional.
Keith's E-Devotional
“Jesus said, ‘ I tell you the truth, anyone who gives a cup of water in my Name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.’” (Mark 9:41)
During this 6th annual Baseball Outreach Nov 17th-21st in the Dominican Republic, 191 American "coaches" instructed Dominican boys ages 7 to 18. Over 6,000 Dominican boys were taught baseball techniques; all heard the Word of God after each clinic.
The Gift of Compassion
Few of us would disagree that the Christmas season has become too commercial, too stressful and too long. But, perhaps, if we focus on the right gift we could eliminate the commercialism and the stress and keep the joy all year long.
To illustrate, we all need to look at a parable not usually associated with Christmas "the Parable of the Good Samaritan." We know that thieves robbed and beat a man on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho, leaving him naked and close to death. We also know that a priest and a Levite not only failed to help this severely injured traveler but passed on the other side of the road to avoid him. But then came the Samaritan. The Samaritan "came to where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him." The Samaritan even gave the innkeeper money to look after the injured man. (Luke 10:33-34)
While discussing this parable in our Sunday School class recently, classmate Roy Lauter shared: "The thief said, 'What is yours is mine and I'm going to take it.' The priest and the Levite said, 'What is mine is mine and I'm going to keep it!' The Samaritan said, 'What is mine is yours and I'm going to give it.'"
Many of us may not be able to purchase expensive gifts for friends and family this Christmas, but we can all give the gift of compassion.
