Sacrifice

Do we have any idea of what this word means anymore? One definiton states that sacrifice is "forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value or claim." We think we do. I was watching a television preacher last night for just a moment and all he was talking about was the sacrifice of your money right now so that you could take part in the upcoming "great wealth transfer." What?? We think that sacrifice is about giving up something so that we can gain some kind of material wealth or status. Sacrifice is exactly as defined above, but the greater that we are gaining is not a material thing, it is a relationship with our Creator and a finding of our purpose in life.

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?

Mark 8:34-37

We so quickly like to run from our perceived suffering. Jesus is asking us to embrace it. Think about it - it is after every down time in your life that something good happens. But to embrace these times in our lives, we need to lose ourselves. We need to not think about, or worry about what we would like our lives to look like, we need to allow Christ total control. Christ already knows and never leaves us. This means that we understand that finding our true self is about finding God and letting our ego go. We save ourselves by losing ourselves. We do not look at how to better our lives through gaining riches, things, or standing. We better our lives by looking to help others, give to others, and look to others interest. What good does it do to gain all the wealth of the world and lose the real you that is a part of God, the image of God, and was made to serve as God does? Instead of getting ready for the "great wealth transfer" let us all serve each other without giving any thought to "what is in it for me." We will find ourselves there.

Namaste'