So, I just finished watching the finale of the Doctor Who and without giving away too many spoilers, there was a lot of discussion about sacrifice ahead of personal happiness.
It's a topic that always brings up a lot of people either side of the fence.
The thing is though is that regardless of which camp you are in, there is a time when you will be faced with the choice to sacrifice something you want for something that perhaps is for a greater good.
When we get down to choices like this, lots of things can come into our minds. Things such as:
- Is this going to mean losing a loved one?
- Is this going to affect me financially?
- Is this going to put me back on my path?
- Is doing this going to help others grow in their journey?
And there are many, many more questions besides these. The point is, sacrifice is hard. It's why so many of us don't do it.
True heroes however, as a Bishop said yesterday, are those who are willing to sacrifice their own needs knowing that something greater needs to be done.
As Gandolf says in Lord of the Rings after Frodo complains about having to sacrifice his home to go destroy the ring - "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
It is so easy for us to use our time to look at the things that matter to us and make sure they are happening, It's a lot harder for us to look outward and see that there is so much more to do and that sometimes means we need to give up our own wants for the good of others.
God calls us however to sacrifice. He sacrificed the greatest gift of all, his son so that we can be saved and in being called to follow his example, we almost must prepare as his children to sacrifice in our own lives.
Some of these sacrifices may only be small - like having a little less money to spend on coffee so that we can support those working to help people living on the streets. Others, will be much bigger.
The key to any sacrifice however is to always remember that in doing so, there will be a much greater outcome. We wouldn't do it otherwise.
Whether our sacrifice is calling us to give up money, power, control, comfort or even those things most valuable to us, it is important to remember that our personal want is sometimes not the best thing for the situation and no matter how much we want, we can't let that get in the way of what needs to happen for God's will to occur.
Sure sacrifice hurts- it's not meant to be easy, especially when it means giving up something you love for the sake of someone or something else, but it's crucial for our world to survive and for us to continue to grow in our faith journey.
There's too many people willing to take the easy road and stay comfortable, but we are called as Christians to take the long, narrow one- one in which sacrifice is a part of ensuring salvation.
And we do it knowing that in the end, the greatest reward will come.
Till next time...
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