(Second Compassion Blog Month Blogging Assignment)
Sacrifice… what does it mean?
According to Merriam-Webster’s
Dictionary it means “The act of giving up something that you want to keep
especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone.”
But what does it mean to us practically to sacrifice? And
what does God have to say about it?
Hebrews 13:16, says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share
what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
God calls us to share what we have, to make sacrifices in
order to help someone else, doing this pleases Him. Are you living to please
Him? Are you making sacrifices to help other people? If not, are you willing to
start? Are you willing to give up something in order to help someone else?
To be honest, before last year I was not willing to make
sacrifices to help others, and this did not please God. God began to convict me
of this.
It all started when I attended the Compassion Dimensions
(Chapel) at Gardner-Webb University last September. They had a young man from
Africa who had grown up in the Compassion program share his story of how
Compassion had helped him. I wanted to start sponsoring a Compassion child that
day, but I didn’t have a job and I owed a lot of money to the school for tuition
that I didn’t know how I was going to pay for, and I used those as excuses to
not sponsor a Compassion child even though I felt God leading me to do so. Then
a few weeks later I went to a concert with a friend, and again heard about
Compassion International, and again I felt God convicting me to sponsor a
Compassion child. But again I started making excuses, then I remembered all of
the orphans and beggars I saw in Nepal when I was there the year before. And I
remembered the Deaf students at the school where I had taught while there, and
how little they had, and yet they were willing to give to help others including
buying things for me. They were buying stuff for me when they had so little and
I had so much, when they did not have a personal relationship with God and I did. I have so much compared
to children in third world countries, and I know God and know His commands to
help the poor, yet I would rather spend money on my favorite soda or coffee,
buy my favorite movies and CDs and TV seasons, would rather go the movies with
friends or shopping at the mall, then give those things up to help feed a child
who is starving and help make it possible for that child to learn about God so that they can have a relationship with Him like I do. I decided that night
that I was going to obey God by sponsoring a Compassion child, I decided that
helping a child in need was more important than having money to spend on myself
when I already have so much and they have nothing. I decided I was going to
obey God’s command to sacrifice in order to help someone else. It was one of
the best decisions I have ever made! I
have been able to be a blessing in the
life of a precious little five year old girl who lives in a mud hut in India,
but she has also been such a huge blessing to me, especially in the letters
that she writes to me. Sponsoring her has helped me to grow in my faith, and
learn to trust God more to provide for my needs. I wish I had obeyed Him
sooner, I had no idea what I was missing out on by not obeying His command to
sacrifice.
Acts 20:35, says, “In all things I have shown you that by
working hard in this way we must help
the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
I have found Jesus’ saying that it is more blessed to give than to receive to
be true. Are you willing to let it be true in your life? Are you willing to make sacrifices to help a child in need?
I hope so, because I know you will find that it will not only bless a precious
child, but it will bless your life as well. If you are willing to obey God's commands to care for the poor please go click the following link to begin
sponsoring a Compassion child TODAY http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?referer=133384
But what does it mean to us practically to sacrifice? And
what does God have to say about it? 
Acts 20:35, says, “In all things I have shown you that by
working hard in this way we must help
the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
I have found Jesus’ saying that it is more blessed to give than to receive to
be true. Are you willing to let it be true in your life? Are you willing to make sacrifices to help a child in need?
I hope so, because I know you will find that it will not only bless a precious
child, but it will bless your life as well. If you are willing to obey God's commands to care for the poor please go click the following link to begin
sponsoring a Compassion child TODAY http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?referer=133384
No comments:
Post a Comment