Sacrifice

One of the things that I always thought was strange when I was growing up was my parents’ expectation that I not only do what I was told when I was told, but that I had to do it with a right attitude! Not only did I have to clean my room, take out the garbage and clean the bathroom, I had to be happy doing it!

Now don’t get me wrong, mom and dad really did try to make the tasks around the house fun for us. They worked alongside of us and even made it a game at times – and I did slowly learn to take pleasure in working to accomplish a goal or complete a task. But there were still occasions, especially as a teenager, when I felt griping and complaining seemed to be a better approach to an assignment. Yielding and obedience are bitter-tasting enough in my self-centered heart that I assumed a bad attitude while I worked acted like the proverbial “spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” – yet mom never saw it that way. I felt it helped me declare just how unfair or unnecessary I believed the sacrifice to be. How else could I show my displeasure while appearing to be compliant – the best of both worlds!

God calls us to leave behind the ways of the world in order to fully embrace His Kingdom, therefore the habits and expressions of the flesh just simply have to go. As we learn to sacrifice what is temporary for gaining what is eternal, the attitude we display as we sacrifice through submission and obedience is a large part of the learning process.

Sacrifice done with griping and complaining is really rebellion. Sacrifice that is publicized is nothing but pride and false-martyrdom. Sacrifice that is done for a reward or recompense is manipulation. Think about Matthew 6:1-18!

Only sacrifice with an attitude of thanksgiving is appropriate, powerful and fruitful. Thankfulness fuels the fire of sacrifice and guards our heart at the same time – bringing us the best of God’s world!

How exciting to be His people,

Pastor David Vanderpool