Today I would like to share with you the story of Christian Erikson. Christian is not a theologian, or teacher, or writer who I recently began studying and considering. No, Christian is a footballer (soccer player). As a fan of the English Premier League I watched Christian dazzle fans and confuse defenders for London-based Tottenham Hotspur for years. Now playing in Italy I have not been able to follow his career arch any longer, but I am sure Christian still has a strong affect on the game.
Over the weekend Christian took to the field with his Danish teammates for their first game of the European Championship against Finland. The game was played in Danish city of Copenhagen. Many people who turned in to the game were wondering Erikson would control the middle of the field as he normally does.
Instead, they witnessed something far worse.
With a little over one minute left until half-time, Christian passed the ball back to the left wing. He trotted back ready to receive the ball on the return pass before attacking the goal which was behind him. But something was terrible wrong. His arms began to pitch forward and his shoulders drooped. His head sank. Christian toppled to the grass face first. He did not move. The nearest Danish player ran over to him and slid across the grass shouting at Christian in his face. The man was unresponsive. Commentators would say his eyes were glassed-over. It appears that Christian suffered a cardiac event right there in front of the world and his home-nation. CPR was performed on him as he was stretchered off the pitch and everyone worried that they just witnessed something tragic.
The video was so shocking that I have not watched it. I choose to only read about it. According to reports he is alert now and hopes to play again… We shall see.
That is enough to share with you today. I could stop and remind you of the ministry of prayer that we are called to participate in. I could ask you to pray for his family and remind you of the fleeting nature of life. We could remember to seize the day. But that is not all that happened on the pitch that day. . .
As medical personal slid to Christian’s side, his teammates began to encircle him. They stepped a couple feet away from him and stood shoulder to shoulder in a circle. Tears streaming down some of their faces. They were giving their friend, their captain, the dignity that he deserved. They were literally acting as a human shield so that cellphone cameras and the millions who were watching could not see what was happening clearly. The media would not zoom in. There would be no shot of a fallen player. No, his teammates stood there caring for their teammate to the best of their ability. They were protecting him—if you will.
That was the scene that stuck with me. Friends, countrymen, in their moment of sadness because of their friend’s situation, choosing to stand because it was all they could do. Finnish players knelt around the field and the arena was obviously silent for a long time. But these 10 Danes, led by their goalkeeper stood vigil before their friend and it was powerful to see.
As I thought about that story, I wondered about the choices that you and I might be able to make to help someone. We often think that we do not have the necessary training or skills to help in a moment of crisis when it happens. Someone else can do it; someone else should do it—we say. They might even do it better than us, so we choose not to get involved or commit to the cause. But that is not true and should not be affirmed as the best choice.
That afternoon, 10 individuals did what they could. It was all they could do, and I think that it was enough. Those players may not have done anything to help Christian's recovery progress medically. . . And you might be tempted to think that this is what teamwork means. But I read the situation differently. They did what they could and I am sure that if you traveled to Copenhagen and found Christian in his hospital bed, he would talk about how that choice meant so much to him.
So again, I wonder, who are you able to be present for? Who can you stand here with that might just need the little gift that you give them? You may be surprised to learn how important and memorable you choice was. . .
Blessings
Rev. Derek
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