The day after Christmas 2004 will never be forgotten.   While most of America rang in the New Year with confetti, funny hats and loud music, the other side of the world probably didn't realize that the year had even changed.   Families were digging through six feet of rubble with the dying hope of finding a loved one alive.   Now, for so many, all that is desired is to locate a body in order to have a bit of closure amidst the vast wasteland of devastation they now find themselves living.   The number of deaths seems to rise with the passing of each hour so much so that USA Today can't provide the newest figures.   As this article is being written, the number of deaths stands at 145,000 and by the time this newsletter is read this estimate is projected to climb well over 150,000 confirmed deaths.   In a matter of moments, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake wobbled the earth's axis , changed time (there are three seconds unaccounted for), moved islands as much as 20 and 36 meters, cut other islands in half, and swallowed up entire villages and cities without leaving even one survivor.   A US Geological Survey expert stated two days after the disaster, " This earthquake has changed the map ."  

            Student Leadership University has taught over 17,000 students that leaders engage the culture.   In times of great disaster when more hurt and pain seem to exist than anything else, the true leaders must stand up.   It would be a great sin and tragedy for the leader to stand idly by while others cry in the dirt.   In Luke 10:25-37 we are provided with the most famous story Jesus would ever tell, the story of the Good Samaritan.   Every positional leader throughout this great parable is portrayed as a failure.   The Samaritan is the only one in this story that is shown in any kind of positive light.   The reason this unlikely hero succeeded where a lawyer, priest, and Levite failed is because his concern was for people and not his own agenda.   He did not merely lift a prayer or offer to send for help for this broken man who was lying on the side of the road naked, bleeding and dying.   The Bible says, "That when he came to where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion."   The success of the Samaritan is found in the fact that he did not simply hurt for the man on the side of the road, but that he hurt with the man , he got down in the dirt with him.   Where others saw obstacles on the road of life, he saw an opportunity to demonstrate compassion.  

We are now confronted with one of the most horrific disasters in the history of mankind and the question must be asked, how should I respond?   It is in these moments when so many are hurting and dying and so much pain seems to exist that the gospel should burn within us, hotter than it ever was before.   Our response to this tragedy should be two-fold; first it should cause us to run to the Savior.   We should fall to our knees, repent of our sins, and commit ourselves anew to be passionate followers of Christ with the understanding that God is sovereign and is in control of nature, remembering the fact that on December 26, 2004, we were not swallowed up by this monster of a wave.     Newspapers declare that the tsunami had no prejudice as the wealthiest of this world and the poorest died side-by-side.   In Matthew 10:29 Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?   And not one of them falls to the ground apart from the Father's will."   In response to God's mercy on us, we should run to the Savior.  

Our second response should be to run to the hurting.   The leader consumed with knowing the Savior will inevitably have compassion on the hurting.   The term compassion that Jesus used in the parable of the Good Samaritan describes one who has a pain so deep within their being that it drives them to action.   With pictures of people being sent to us literally at the "speed of live" who are hurting, we must ask ourselves what can we do?    The response is very simple.   Do what you can.   For some that may mean going.   For others that may mean simply praying.   To some it may mean giving money to an organization or to a mission agency.   Romans 12:15 says that we are to "Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep."   Make no mistake about it; leaders are not inconvenienced by the timing of tragedy.   At the New Year, with so much to do and so many resolutions to keep, the leader puts life on pause and allows his or her schedule to be interrupted that he or she may run to the hurting.