The Life of Sacrifice

By Brian Mitchell       Self-sacrifice is a word that we, as a society, don’t seem to be familiar with anymore. Most people live by the words of the Sinatra song, “I did it my way.” Consider the following ads which promote selfishness and me-first thinking in our culture. L'Oreal Paris ad "Because you're worth it." Or the famous Burger King slogan “Have It Your Way.” This is the day and age where we are constantly told to get all you get and do what makes you feel happy without even the slightest thought of others.     The world says: "You have needs -- satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don't hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more." This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov.     What is Sacrifice? Certainly, we understand the meaning of self-sacrifice. It is not too hard to define—it is the willingness to personally give up something for someone else or for some greater benefit. Frankly, I think the very concept is a bit frightening to most. We understand what it means but it is much harder to embrace and embody in our own personal lives. And yet when we witness self-sacrifice, we are drawn to it. We are amazed by it. Because true sacrifice touches people’s emotions and opens their hearts in ways that few other things can.     How many of you remember the story of Pat Tillman? It is one of those truly genuine and a remarkable story of self-sacrifice: Star athlete walks away from the game in his prime, leaving millions in cash on the table, to put his life at risk in service to his country. And then in May of 2002, just 8 months after the September 11 attacks, Tillman walked away from a $3.6 million contract to join the military.     He enlisted along with his brother, Kevin, who himself gave up the chance of a career in baseball. The two brothers then completed training for the elite Army Ranger school late in 2002 and were then both to the Middle East as part of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Pat was subsequently redeployed to Afghanistan, where, on April 22, 2004, he was killed in action by friendly fire while on patrol.     What People had to Say. The Arizona Cardinals vice president Michael Bidwill said of Tillman, “In sports we have a tendency to overuse terms like courage and bravery and heroes, and then someone like Pat Tillman comes along and reminds us what those terms really mean.” Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said, “Pat Tillman personified all the best values of his country and the NFL. He was an achiever and leader on many levels who always put his team, his community, and his country ahead of his personal interests.”     As I’ve already said, “Sacrifice moves people.” It causes them to stop in their tracks and ask; “Why? Why would someone do something like that?” “What would cause a person to go out of their way for me?” Because sacrificial acts are so rare and powerful, they are rarely forgotten. Sacrifices, of whatever variety, have the ability to impact people for a lifetime. Thus, we through sacrifice, have the ability to influence and impact people in a major way.     What are you doing to attract others to Christ? The Bible says that those of us who follow Christ should live lives that draw those outside of Christ to us. We should live in ways that makes our faith attractive to those outside of the family of God. As both Jesus and Paul say, we should live our lives as shining lights in a world of darkness. So How are We Doing?

- Brian Mitchell serves as a minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net