This last week we celebrated those who have served in the armed forces with Veteran’s Day. America recognizes that those who sacrifice everything in their lives, do it so we can maintain our freedom. I just wonder if we understand that freedom only comes with sacrifice. In the past two years, I cannot help but notice that many people chose not to sacrifice anything for their freedom, and yet, they want their freedom. If we want to be free, we must sacrifice.
Our armed forces sacrifice time. They sacrifice time with their families. They sacrifice time that they could be pursuing a “dream job,” so that all of us can have freedom in this country. As they sacrifice, are we just to receive the fruits of their sacrifice, or are we to sacrifice so that someone near and dear to us can be free? It’s an age-old question. Sacrifice is difficult. Usually, when I sacrifice, it costs me something, and not only do I not feel free, but I feel burdened by that which I must do, so that my sacrifice frees someone else, or even myself.
Do we even understand that sacrifice must be an act that we all perform to have a free country today and in our future? If most people choose to be selfish and just take, then those who are sacrificing are doing it for naught because the majority will overrule the minority. If everyone were to sacrifice just some small part of their life for someone else, then there will not only be freedom for others, but we will also begin to truly love our neighbor. Then, the future will contain more freedom because of the sacrifice we have today.
The question to be asked is what can an ordinary person do to sacrifice? It could just be the simple tasks in life. It could be being kind to a server in a restaurant or any store clerk. If we are flying, we know the rules. As we fly through the skies with our freedom, let us choose kindness to our flight attendants because we must remember that they are humans who need to see the love of Jesus more than to hear our political rants. It’s letting the person who is in a hurry in front of us.
If we cannot do these little sacrifices, then when big sacrifices are asked of us, we will not be able to perform. I know because for a time in my life, I chose not to sacrifice. I was led to believe that I needed to be confident and not let people walk on me. There’s a difference between being a doormat and sacrificing, which can lead to true confidence. In that period of my life, I was at the lowest point of self-confidence, and instead of serving, I just complained about what others were not doing. Not only did I not have confidence, but my selfishness led to a burden of having to repay debt financially and loss of friends. In order to have freedom and healthy relationships, I realized I had to begin to sacrifice with the idea that the sacrifice was for others to be better.
Jesus did not let the little parts of life to worry him. He chose to sacrifice. He chose to treat people with love and kindness, even when he had to explain that their actions were wrong. Yes, he overturned the tables in the temple. That was because people were being selfish in his father’s house and not sacrificing, and these same people demanded sacrifice from those who followed them. Sacrifice means we give up something. Jesus gave his life so we could have freedom from sin.
As we enter the holiday season, may we remember to sacrifice more than we get. It’s better to give than to receive. Giving requires sacrifice. Sacrifice requires us to think of others instead of ourselves. Sacrifice is a habit that we must develop. We have less than forty days of this year left. May we take this time to sacrifice our wants and begin to sacrifice so others may have their needs, and then we will all gain freedom. Freedom comes with a price. That price is sacrifice.
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