Getting Your Eyes Off of Self

KINDNESS

Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her first home run in her college career with two runners on base in a playoff game against Central Washington University. While rounding the bases, she missed first base. As she started back to tag it, she collapsed with a knee injury. She was only able to crawl back to first but could do no more. She would been called out if her own teammates had helped her around the bases.

Central Washington first baseman Mallory Holtman, asked the umpire if she and her teammates could help Tucholsky. The umpire said there was no rule against it.

So Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace put their arms under Tucholsky’s legs, and she put her arms over their shoulders. The three headed around the base paths, stopping to let Tucholsky touch each base with her good leg.

“The only thing I remember is that Mallory asked me which leg was the one that hurt,” Tucholsky said. “I told her it was my right leg and she said, ‘OK, we’re going to drop you down gently and you need to touch it with your left leg.’”

“We started laughing when we touched second base,” Holtman said. “I said, ‘I wonder what this must look like to other people.’”

“We didn’t know that she was a senior or that this was her first home run,” Wallace said. “That makes the story more touching than it was. We just wanted to help her.” Holtman said she and Wallace weren’t thinking about the playoff spot, and didn’t consider the gesture something special. “I hope I would do the same for her in the same situation,” Tucholsky added. As the trio reached home plate, the entire Western Oregon team was in tears.

“In the end, it is not about winning and losing so much,” Holtman said. “It was about this girl. She hit it over the fence and was in pain, and she deserved a home run.”

WARMUP

Kindness: Demonstrating a gentle, sympathetic attitude towards others.

1.Why is it important to be kind?

TEAM BUILDER

Supply everyone with a blank sheet of paper at the beginning of the meeting. Have everyone write a note of kindness expressing thankfulness for something they have done. Be specific by citing a certain time and place that a statement or act of kindness was displayed. At the end of the meeting have everyone mail or deliver the note to the person they wrote to.

WORKOUT

1. Who do you know that is kind? Why did you think of him/her?

2. Sara Tucholsky has seen the value of kindness even in the midst of competition. Have you ever experienced or demonstrated unusual kindness in competition? What was the result of this kind act?

3. How do we get away from the “me, myself and I” mentality and begin to focus on others?

WRAPUP

This week, memorize…

“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32

PRAYER

Lord, I will exhibit kindness to my friends and my enemies. Help me to…

GOSPEL FOCUS

How can we do anything less than forgive others when we know God has forgiven us through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus. There is no greater example of kindness than God providing a substitute for our sin so that we might not face His wrath for our sin.

by Gordon Thiessen

gthiessen@mac.com