Sacrifice
There’s been a lot in the news these past few days about the
tragedy of the 19 wildland firefighters killed outside of Yarnell, Arizona when
the fire overtook them and burned them horribly. Firefighters train for these kind of events, and it’s a thing not
one of them ever wants to go through because survival is so uncertain. The black humor during training each year
with the reflective fire shelters is that we call them “shake and bake” tents. The dedication of these men to their
community, and their willingness to put their lives on the line in uncertain
circumstances is commendable beyond what mere words can describe.
Firefighters aren’t the only ones who are willing to make
sacrifices. Soldiers fight wars in
which the probability of death or serious injury is always present. Often these wars are of doubtful political
value, and pit innocents against innocents in a test of political wills of the
elete…yet they serve their country and sacrifice with honor to protect what
they deem to be in jeopardy.
Then there is the passerby who sees another person in
serious danger and leaps to the rescue in spite of the danger. It is often done for someone they don’t know
and circumstances they can’t evaluate.
Unprepared, they wade in to help…sometimes suffering injury or death as
a result. That is a pretty amazing
person, but usually one who expects to live to tell about the experience.
All these are admirable examples of selfless sacrifice. You can probably think of many more, but
ultimately they are all done for those we care about and who care about us in
return at some level. Usually, though
not always, we expect to survive. The
soldier jumps on a grenade for his buddies, the passerby helps and innocent,
the firefight saves a grateful community.
What greater sacrifice could there be?
I offer this one.
Suppose you had the opportunity to sacrifice yourself for some lowlife
murdering politician or businessperson who hated you and was trying to kill
you? Just turns out that another scum
businessperson or politician wants him dead.
Perhaps he’s the man who stole all your money and your wife. You have the opportunity to step in front of
the bullet. You will die and you know
the person you save will go on with their life of crime and laugh at your
sacrifice. Would you make that
sacrifice? Who would be willing to make
that trade for someone who wouldn’t appreciate the sacrifice? It’s not something you’d expect to see. Sacrifice for those who hate you and
disrespect you is not in the cards, so I wouldn’t count on it if you are in a
jam!
Yet nevertheless, one person did that. Hated and reviled he died for those who
killed him. Now, you all think “yeah,
OK, you’re talking about Jesus” but it doesn’t count, ‘cause he was God.”
Really?
Why does that make a difference? Why should he die for you?
Do you think it was easy? Do you
think it didn’t hurt? Jesus was fully
man. Tempted and subject to pain, he
went through with all of that degradation and torture at the hands of his
enemies…for them, and for you who he didn’t even know. What greater sacrifice could there be?
That sacrifice demands that you think on it. Your life depends on it.
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