Sacrifice

Sacrifice

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

“I’M NORMALLY EARLY TO BED and early to rise, but my friend is a night owl, and I’ve learned that inviting her family over for dinner usually means a late night,” Andrea confided as we sipped our coffee drinks. “Our conversation delves into the deep, harder stuff just about the time my eyes start to get heavy and my body longs to be in bed.” Andrea paused as she reached for her scone. “Sacrificing sleep is a small price to pay for our friendship, but it sometimes feels hard in the moment.”

Fiddling with my straw wrapper, I asked, “Do you think she would sacrifice her preferences for you?”

“Oh, yes! I know she hates sad movies, but she agreed to watch Steel Magnolias with me last month as long as I brought a box of tissues and Red Vines—not Twizzlers—as our snack. I know it wasn’t her favorite, but I was having a rough week and wanted to watch it, so we did.” Andrea picked off a bit of scone for another bite. “Now that I think about it, we sacrifice our preferences for one another on a regular basis. I guess that’s what makes our friendship so strong.”

Sacrifice often sounds like it requires grand gestures and life-altering consequences—and in extreme circumstances, it does. However, sacrifice also includes the small things such as setting aside our interests as we intentionally allow someone else’s preference to take center stage.

Sacrifice—when done with love—reveals care and concern in a way words cannot, showing through our actions that we are willing to lay down our interests without grumbling or grudge-holding, elevating someone else in that moment. Loving sacrifice shows agape, brotherly love toward others—our coworkers, neighbors, friends, family—laying down self for another in a pale but important imitation of Christ’s sacrifice for us.

Lord, nudge us when we have a choice between our way and another’s way—that we might start recognizing opportunities for sacrifice.

-Julie

One Good Step: Start looking for ways to show affection, friendship, and love through sacrifice. Commit to one small sacrifice a day.