W.D.Tyree Ministries

In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise– in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:10-11)

On September 11, a man named Todd Beamer boarded flight 93. The majority of people in America had never heard this name before, but after that day his notoriety has grown considerably. Did he write a hit pop single? Did he produce a groundbreaking video? Did he write an amazing best seller? Actually, Todd Beamer did none of these things, but his actions far surpassed all musician, producer, and author’s works combined.

Flight 93 was supposed to be the fourth plane used as a devastating weapon against our nation. The smallest flight to be hijacked with only 45 people aboard out of a possible 289 had 84% of its capacity unused. Yet these people stood up to the attackers and thwarted a fourth attempted destruction of a national landmark, saving untold numbers of lives in the process. One of those people was Todd Beamer- a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ. Moments before he and the other passengers rallied against the hijackers, he prayed Psalm 23 with a phone operator, and his last words were: “are you ready? Let’s roll!”

Todd Beamer gave his life so that other lives could be saved. His faith in Christ and his assurance that he would be in heaven gave him the tremendous courage it took to accomplish his heroic acts.

In Acts 6 and 7, we read about a man of God named Stephen. He was full of faith, power, and conviction. He was brought before the Jewish ruling council on trumped-up charges and allowed to make a statement. Stephen, however, decided to play a different role. Rather than allowing it to be a setup for him, he turned into a powerful condemnation of the religious leaders. They despised him and his message, so they dragged him out of Jerusalem and stoned him. Stephen fell to his knees and prayed for his killers. The way he died spoke as eloquently as his sermon.

These men should serve as an amazing example to us. We are called to be people of conviction, standing tall for Christ and serving Him fearlessly. Be prepared believer- you never know what day you may be called on to offer yourself for His glory.

Questions:

1. Would you be willing to pay the ultimate price for Christ?
2. What are your biggest fears about serving God everyday?
3. What would you have done if you were Todd Beamer?

In John 13:34-35, Jesus gives a commandment for us to love others as He has loved us.

Take this self-evaluation and decide for yourself by answering
TRUE or FALSE:

• I am never mean, cruel or insensitive.
• I treat people with kindness and generosity.
• I am charitable.
• I give of myself for the benefit of others.
• I am responsive to the concerns and needs of others.

I conclude that I am / am not a caring person because: _______________________.

Remember, caring is not just a way of feeling, it’s a way of behaving!

Now that you have some idea about whether or not you are a caring person, let’s go a little further.  What are your thoughts to 5 questions below?  Feel free to post your responses here or on our Facebook page.

1. A lot of people say that teenagers are self absorbed and don’t care about anything but themselves. Why do you agree or disagree?
2. In what ways is our world a caring world?  In what ways is it uncaring?  What could each of us do to make this a more caring world?
3. Why do you agree or disagree with the following statement: It’s not cool to be a caring person.
4. To what extent would you inconvenience yourself for another person?
5. Why would you give or not give money to a stranger on the sidewalk who asked for spare change?  Would it make a difference if the person were a) a mother with child, b) very old, c) from a different culture? Does giving money to a stranger have anything to do with caring?

Compassion, unlike confidence and competence, is the first of the critical areas of growth that extends beyond the boundaries of self and acknowledges the importance of others.  When you experience compassion for others – whether family members, friends, teachers, coaches, mentors, and people in the community, you contribute to their well-being as well as having your own well-being enhanced.  

Compassion draws on the notion that we as humans are inherently social creatures.  No matter how confident or competent we may be, we still need other people to create healthy, productive lives.  Ultimately, a person who is compassionate toward others is in tune with himself or herself.  He or she has an awareness of their feelings and thoughts as they relate to both others and self.  Have you ever volunteered to do something for someone without having to be recognized for doing it?  Have you ever volunteered to do something for someone when the recipient of your efforts was not able to express appreciation?  Have you ever visited a nursing home to encourage an incapacitated senior who was not a relative or someone you knew?  Your answer to these questions may be a resounding, “no.”  However, when you come to the realization that you are important and that you matter and are valued, you will begin to experience a love that controls and compels you to have compassion for others.  This love is found in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).