Sacrifice

Sacrifice [sak-ruh-fahys] -- verb,  to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to,for the sake of something else.




What do you think of when you hear the word sacrifice?  I know that I think about the fact that I have to give something up.  As human beings, we are all naturally selfish.  I look out for me, no two ways about it.  I don't believe this is something we are taught, rather an instinct we are born with.  I've watched both of my children go from sweet innocent little babies to selfish toddlers in a matter of days.  As soon as they were mobile, they were looking out for themselves.  Case in point... When Joey was about 10 months old, he was "playing" with a friend about the same age in our living room.  He was crawling around like a pro and the other little boy, who was a few months older was just starting to do that new walking thing where the child is incredibly unstable on his feet.  The other little boy walked over to where Joey was playing with a toy truck and just took it from him.  Joey looked up with me with big tears in his eyes.  I waited to see what would happen and then, without a pause, Joey crawled to where the other little boy was toddling across the floor and took the truck out of his hand, pushing him down to the ground in the process and looking very pleased with himself.  I remember thinking, "Where did he learn that?"  The answer was...  he didn't...  Selfishness is something that I believe we are all born with.  


When I became a mom, I quickly learned that while I was born with these selfish tendencies, when it came to my kids, I would yield my wants and needs to their needs and sometimes their wants.  I go without on many occasions so my kids can be blessed and that is what makes me truly happy.  I would love nothing more than to have a hot shower with no interruptions.  I don't believe that has happened in... well, I can't remember how long.  I could lock the door, but when I'm in the shower, I want my kids to be able to get to me if they need to, so I sacrifice five minutes of peace and quiet for their safety.  I rarely sit to eat a meal as during the meal, I get up five times or more to fill water glasses, blow off hot food, cut meat, spread butter on rolls etc.  I could say, "Sorry kids, mom's eating," but their need for a good meal supersedes my own desire to sit and feast uninterrupted.


And sleep...  Don't even get me started on that one.  I can't remember the last time I got more than a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.  


Do all parents put their needs in front of those of their kids?  I can answer that with an unequivocal "NO!"  After having been in education for so many years, I have seen things that would make your skin crawl as far as parents who neglect their kids.  I'm not just talking about bad parenting, but parents who put their own selfish needs in front of the needs of their kids and then kids who have to fend for themselves to meet their basic needs such as love, food and warmth. 


As a good parent, WHY do we make these sacrifices?  Because it brings us more happiness to see our kids safe and healthy than the pleasure we feel when we put our own needs first.  Right now, I have a four year old snoring peacefully beside me.  He heard me get up to go to the bathroom at around 5 a.m. and crawled in bed with me.  I could have insisted he go back to bed, but my desire to know he would peacefully sleep beside me for a few more hours outweighed the desire to have the bed to myself.  


A good parent is willing to sacrifice all for their children.  All comfort, power, glory, convenience and yes, even their own life for their children.


As most of you know, I'm a Christian.  Why do I believe in Christ?  Because when I look at nature and how magnificently it was designed, I simply cannot believe it was by chance.  There is an obvious design/plan behind our world.  To believe we evolved or this was all by chance mutation, to me, would take even greater faith than to believe that there was a superior life form who designed this world and everything in it.  When I then ask the next logical question as to "Why would a being design this world?" the next logical answer is that they wanted to interact with the world they created in some way.  That is exactly what God the Father did through Christ.  He sacrificed His son so we could know Him more and have a relationship with Him.  The trinity is a tough concept to my little 4 dimensional mind, but Christ is God and He came to earth as a human being to make Himself known to us so we could have a relationship with Him.  (I'm giving you the simplified version of my beliefs.)


Why did He do it?????


Sacrifice


Because the sacrifice brought Him happiness because He is a Good Father who loves His children with a love like no other.


As you go about your Easter weekend, please remember the true meaning behind why we commemorate this day.  It's not because of the eggs or bunnies, it's because of the sacrifice Christ made on the cross and the fact that He not only died, but 3 days later, He conquered death, rose from the grave and is still alive today.


Happy Easter everyone!!

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.  The death he died, he died to sin, once and for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.  So you must consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ.

                                                       Romans 6:9-11