When All is Lost
12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
Luke 7:12-13
WHEN ALL IS LOST
During my coaching days years ago, I was involved in one game I’ll never forget. My team was on the road and playing a doubleheader. This meant a long day at the field! Getting down 7-0 early just deflated the team. You could see them looking ahead to the 2nd game. However, we still had to finish Game 1. In our final at-bat, with 2 outs and an 0-2 count on our hitter, something changed! That hitter reached base, and the next and the next….. and before we knew it, we were on top 9-7 and won the game! I do not remember the outcome of Game 2!
What changed? How did this happen? I can attest to one thing: I heard from the dugout (I was coaching 3rd) someone say, “We can still do this!” What, why now? Where did his HOPE come from? With each hitter having success, HOPE rose, JOYFUL noise could be heard, BELIEF grew, and the results were something no one would forget!
In Luke 7:12-13, all hope was lost. The mother’s only son was dead, and she was already a widow. What hope did she have? She had no future! There was no one to take care of her. She was destined to beg for a living. Well, Jesus happened! He had just entered the town and witnessed the funeral procession. Jesus felt compassion for her! He saw, he felt, he acted, and raised the boy and gave him back to his mother!
Don’t miss this: Of course, Jesus knew the ramifications of this boy’s death meant to the mother. No one asked Jesus to act. However, his actions spoke volumes to the witnesses. He continued to confirm his authority and build his identity. They could see he was empowered by God.
When you coach at any level, the players will look to you for inspiration, confidence, and positivity. How you walk, talk, act, react, and simply lead your team will determine just how much influence you will ultimately have with them.
Compassion for each individual and their stories is a good place to start.
Compassion was an underlying theme in all Jesus’ miraculous acts!
What better way to lead a team but with the character of Christ flowing through you!
Love God. Love People. Live Sent.
Blessings,
Marlin
Marlin McPhail worked in professional baseball for 44 years before retiring in 2025. He played ten years with three different teams in the minors and then spent his final 34 years with the New York Mets as a Minor League Coach and Amateur Scout. Marlin resides with his wife Terry in Irmo, S.C. and has two grown children and five grandchildren.