Sacrifice. It’s a versatile word that can mean so much or represent just a little. When I think of it, especially after Memorial Day, I think of people making life-changing sacrifices. Certainly our military and their families give up so much to protect our freedom. I think of the doctors and nurses who work tirelessly taking care of patients. I think of my mom who raised three kids by herself for over ten years and everything she went without to ensure that my siblings and I had what we needed and wanted. But do you ever stop to think about the small sacrifices people make everyday?
They may be so small that they don’t even feel worthy of the word sacrifice, but they may make all the difference in someone’s life. Putting others first and yourself Second is a form of sacrifice. Your time, your words, your energy or your resources can all be given to help someone through the day.
I’ve had so many people make sacrifices for me on a daily basis, and I’ve also made sacrifices for others. When my sister was diagnosed with cancer, we had so many people bring us meals, send us encouraging cards and send up countless prayers on our behalf. I also found myself sacrificing my time and resources like never before – using all of my time off from work to attend doctor’s appointments and putting money towards things that would help my sister be more comfortable. You don’t have to ever worry about giving too much or it not being reciprocated. You don’t have to keep score. God knows everything you give and he’s making sure that you’re getting just as much in return. In fact, Matthew 10:42 tells us that even the smallest gift we give someone is credited to us and our reward is not diminished.
Something I’ve done a few times in my life was asking God to make his presence clear to me each day. I also asked him to help me see the needs of those around me and what I can do to help. If you’d like to help people but don’t quite know where to start, maybe you could begin there. You could take a meal to a sick friend. You can give a stranger a compliment, even if you have to sacrifice some of your comfort to strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know. You could give of your time and pray for your coworkers. You could buy your parents’ groceries for the week. It doesn’t have to be big or wipe out all of your resources to be a meaningful sacrifice.
So don’t be afraid to live open-handedly. When you are willing to give out of what you have, what you have multiplies to cover yourself and anyone else who needs it. The sacrifices people have made for me and my family, no matter how small, to make us feel loved and supported have left a lifelong impression on us. It’s made me more aware of how I can give to others and the impact it may have.
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