Compassion to Commitment

Good evening, everyone.

It is wonderful to be here for the 10th Annual Katy Cares Gala.

You all look terrific tonight. Some of you leaned more toward the boots, some leaned more toward the bling—and a few of you clearly decided there was no reason to choose!

I want to thank our sponsors, donors, community partners, board members, staff, and volunteers. Your presence tonight communicates something important to the single-parent families Katy Cares serves:

“You are not alone, and your community has not forgotten you.”

I also want to thank Allison for that generous introduction.

Most of you know her as the founder of Katy Cares. I have the privilege of knowing her as my daughter.

As a father, there are few things more meaningful than watching your child discover a calling larger than herself. Gail and I have watched Allison recognize a need, feel the weight of that need, and decide that simply feeling concerned was not enough.

She chose to act.

Tonight, when I see what Katy Cares has become, I am enormously proud of her—not merely because she founded an organization, but because she allowed compassion to become commitment.

That is what I want to talk about tonight:

When compassion becomes commitment.

In 1973, two social psychologists conducted a fascinating experiment with students at Princeton Theological Seminary.

These were people preparing for ministry.

The researchers told each student that he would need to walk to another building and give a short presentation. Some were assigned to speak about career opportunities in ministry.

Others were assigned to speak about one of the most famous stories Jesus ever told—the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Before they left, the researchers added one more variable.

Some students were told, “You have plenty of time.”

Others were told, “You need to leave now.”

And a third group was told, “You’re already late. You had better hurry.”

On the way to the other building, every student encountered a man slumped in a doorway, coughing and appearing to be in serious distress.

Here is the question:

Would these future ministers stop to help him?

Here is the twist.

The subject of their presentation made very little difference.

A student on his way to preach about the Good Samaritan was not significantly more likely to stop than a student speaking about career opportunities.

What made the greatest difference was whether the student believed he had time.

Among those who were not in a hurry, 63% stopped to help.

Among those who believed they were running late, only 10% stopped.

Think about that.

Some students were literally on their way to talk about the Good Samaritan—and hurried past a suffering person to get there.

They knew the story.

They believed the truth.

They could explain compassion.

But in that moment, compassion never became commitment.

That experiment confronts us with an uncomfortable possibility:

We can become so busy doing important things that we pass by the people who matter to God.

We can believe the right things, say the right things, attend the right events, and support the right causes in principle—yet still fail to stop.

The difference between compassion and commitment is whether we stop.

Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan begins with a man who was attacked, robbed, beaten, and abandoned beside the road.

A priest saw him and passed by.

A Levite saw him and passed by.

Then a Samaritan saw the same wounded man and responded differently.

Jesus said he was moved with compassion.

But his compassion did not remain a feeling.

He stopped.

He moved toward the wounded man.

He treated his injuries, transported him to safety, paid for his care, and made arrangements for his future.

His compassion became commitment.

Sympathy says, “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

Compassion says, “I am willing to enter your story.”

Sympathy observes pain.

Compassion moves toward it.

Sympathy can remain at a comfortable distance.

Commitment costs us something.

Ten years ago, Katy Cares began because someone stopped.

Someone noticed single parents working, sacrificing, worrying, and doing everything possible to keep their families together.

Someone noticed children carrying emotional burdens they did not have the words to explain.

Someone noticed families experiencing separation, divorce, abuse, domestic violence, financial hardship, displacement, and trauma.

These families were not statistics.

They were—and still are—our neighbors.

Their children attend our schools, play on our teams, and live in our neighborhoods. They work in our businesses, worship in our churches, and contribute to our community.

They are all around us, but many of them feel invisible.

Katy Cares was created to say:

“We see you.”

“You matter.”

“You are not alone.”

“And this painful season does not have to determine your future.”

Katy Cares does more than respond to an immediate crisis. It walks beside families as they rebuild their lives.

Through trauma-informed counseling, coaching, mentoring, parenting education, spiritual encouragement, and practical assistance, Katy Cares helps families move from surviving toward flourishing.

It helps restore something that trauma often takes away:

Hope.

Hope is not pretending everything is fine.

Hope does not ignore pain or deny reality.

Hope looks honestly at the circumstances and says:

“This is difficult, but this is not the end of the story.”

And nobody understands that mission better than the person who leads Katy Cares every day.

Some time ago, I was having lunch with Dr. Dawid Pieterse, the Executive Director of Katy Cares. During that conversation, Dawid shared three convictions that guide his life and leadership:

Obey God, despite the consequences.

Trust God, despite appearances.

Praise God, despite the circumstances.

Obey. Trust. Praise.

I want you to hear what those convictions mean from Dawid himself.

Would you please welcome Dr. Dawid Pieterse?

[DAWID COMES TO THE STAGE. BOTH MEN SIT.]

JERRY:

Dawid, thank you for joining me.

Before we explore those three convictions, tell us briefly how God led you to Katy Cares and what drew your heart to this mission.

[DAWID RESPONDS—45 SECONDS.]

JERRY:

The first conviction you shared with me was:

“Obey God, despite the consequences.”

That is a powerful statement because obedience does not always produce an easy or immediately rewarding outcome.

What does that conviction mean to you personally, and how does it influence the way you lead Katy Cares?

[DAWID RESPONDS—60 SECONDS.]

JERRY:

Katy Cares itself is an expression of that kind of obedience.

When we encounter a family in crisis, the easiest response is often to assume someone else will help. Obedience means we stop, move toward the need, and offer what God has placed in our hands.

Your second conviction is:

“Trust God, despite appearances.”

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God.

Tell us about a time when the circumstances facing Katy Cares appeared discouraging or the resources seemed insufficient—but God asked you to trust Him.

[DAWID RESPONDS—60 SECONDS.]

JERRY:

Where have you seen God provide for a family—or for Katy Cares—in a way that surprised you and strengthened your faith?

[DAWID RESPONDS—60 SECONDS.]

JERRY:

Your third conviction is:

“Praise God, despite the circumstances.”

The prophet Habakkuk described a time when the fig trees did not blossom, there were no grapes on the vines, and the fields produced no food.

Everything visible told him that life was falling apart.

And then he said:

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

That is not praising God because of our circumstances. It is praising God despite our circumstances.

Dawid, how do you help a single parent find that kind of faith and hope while facing trauma, loss, fear, or financial uncertainty?

[DAWID RESPONDS—60 SECONDS.]

JERRY:

That is so important.

Biblical praise does not require us to pretend that life does not hurt.

Praise is not denial.

Praise is the declaration that our circumstances do not have the final word.

Dawid, one final question:

As you look toward the next chapter of Katy Cares, what is your greatest hope for this organization and the families it serves?

[DAWID RESPONDS—60 SECONDS.]

JERRY:

Thank you, Dawid.

Thank you for your leadership, your compassion, and the commitment you bring to these families every day.

Would you join me in thanking Dr. Dawid Pieterse?

[APPLAUSE. DAWID RETURNS TO HIS SEAT.]

Those three words do not belong only to Dawid.

They describe the invitation before every person in this room.

Obey God, despite the consequences.

Perhaps God is asking you to volunteer, give, serve, make an introduction, or open a door for Katy Cares.

You may not know where your obedience will lead, but nearly everything God accomplishes begins with someone’s willingness to say yes.

Trust God, despite appearances.

The needs facing single-parent families can seem overwhelming. We can look at the size of the challenge, compare it with the size of our contribution, and wonder whether our gift could possibly matter.

But God has always used ordinary people, offering what they have, to accomplish more than they could imagine.

Praise God, despite the circumstances.

We praise God because trauma does not have to write the final chapter.

We praise God for every parent who has found strength.

We praise God for every child who has rediscovered safety.

We praise God for every relationship that has begun to heal and every family that now knows it is not alone.

Obey.

Trust.

Praise.

But let us add one more word tonight:

Stop.

Stop long enough to see the person beside the road.

Stop long enough to hear the story behind the struggle.

Stop long enough for compassion to become commitment.

Your gift tonight can help a single parent receive counseling instead of struggling alone.

Your gift can help a mother or father understand and respond to a child’s trauma.

Your gift can provide practical resources that bring stability during a season of crisis.

Your gift can help a child experience safety, encouragement, and hope.

When you invest in one parent, you are rarely touching only one life.

You are touching children.

You are touching grandchildren.

You are helping interrupt cycles of trauma.

You are helping create a different legacy.

You may not be able to help every family.

But you can help one.

And for that one family, your help may mean everything.

Ten years ago, Katy Cares began as an idea in the heart of my daughter.

Tonight, that idea has become a community of people who believe single parents and their children deserve more than survival.

They deserve healing.

They deserve dignity.

They deserve a hopeful future.

And they deserve to know their community has not forgotten them.

So tonight, let’s not be people who know the story but walk past the need.

Let’s stop.

Let’s see.

Let’s give.

Let’s allow compassion to become commitment.

And together, let’s help hope find a home.

Thank you.