Written by: Becky Tschamler
I’ve been glued to the coverage of the Olympics for the past few days. (I mean seriously, how can anyone NOT get excited watching Michael Phelps crush his competition every single time?! The man is unbelievable.)
Watching the Olympics makes the world seem very small.
Athletes from every corner of the globe — from every race, culture and background — come together to compete, and suddenly the dividing lines between Islam and Christianity, Communism and Democracy, and wealth and poverty fade. The political agendas take a back seat. The economic disputes get put on the back burner. The world focuses together on this great sporting competition and where many differing value systems once existed, now exists one common set of values: competition, endurance, and sportsmanship.
For a few weeks it feels like we are one big family.
Being a part of Compassion gives you a similar feeling, doesn’t it? We are a family. We are from all different walks of life, but we are a family. We celebrate together. We pray together. We mourn together. When a tragedy strikes the country where your sponsored child lives, it’s not just something you read about on the news. It’s suddenly a personal tragedy. When you give to one of our funds, you aren’t just giving to a random charity, you’re supporting your family.
I love being a part of this family. I hope you do too. I believe nothing pleases God more than seeing us love one another. He is a relational God and He has built that into each of us.
Someday soon we’ll all get to meet at the family reunion. I wonder if that will be anything like the Opening Ceremonies?
Print
Subscribe in a Reader
August 14th, 2008 at 5:40 am
I really like that analogy too of the world being one family. Too many will never see it that way. I recall a scene from Passion of the Christ where Christ is in agony and still commands us to one another. I think he is carrying the cross. “… and the greatest of these is Love.”
August 14th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I meant to say “commands us to LOVE one another” !!!
August 14th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Great analogy. It reminds me of a nearby church that is one of our church partners. They do all these things you mentioned — celebrate when a new child is sponsored, pray for the children (when I was there, the Pastor asked each family to call out the names of the 120+ children they sponsor during prayer time) and mourn together (when one of the Compassion children died, this entire church mourned together). This really is the call to love one another. And yes, I really love my Compassion family–all around the world!
August 14th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Want to see something crazy? My friend Suzanne writes for the Boundless blog and her post today was almost identical.
Check it out.
http://www.boundlessline.org/2008/08/olympics-a-prot.html
August 14th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Great post! We do think alike, girl! When something makes you as excited as the Olympics do, you have to consider what truth that is tapping into.
Also, your title makes me want to sing.
Suzanne
August 14th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
All we need is a little Sister Sledge spinning in the background…
August 14th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I may be the only one wondering this, but what’s a “Sister Sledge?”
August 14th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I love the last line about the Opening Ceremonies.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:20 am
I think when all of the Compassion family someday meets itll be way better than the already amazing Opening ceremonies! =)
August 15th, 2008 at 7:48 am
(CHORUS:)
“We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up ev’rybody and sing…”
(*sung by Sister Sledge)
August 15th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I’m with Juli–what’s a “Sister Sledge?” Bigger than a bread box? Animal, vegetable or mineral?
August 15th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Oh–Heather, I absolutely agree with you, because I know what a Compassion conference is like–truly a couple of days in heaven!
August 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am
August 15th, 2008 at 11:05 am
“Sister Sledge”
Click HERE
August 16th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Becky, I enjoyed our discussion on Nate’s blog, so I figured I would check out some Compassion blogging. Great post, I never really thought of the oneness factor in the Olympics…although I think all the other countries are not real crazy about Michael Phelps right now!
August 16th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
James, thanks for stopping by!
I’m pretty sure our whole country’s got some major Phelps Fever going on since he got #8 tonight!