I heard a definition of sacrifice a while back that struck me with the power of its truth:
'Sacrifice is the act of giving up something good now for something better in the future.'
There's so much truth here that can be applied to so many facets of life, but nearly all of them are centered on benefiting the one who does the sacrificing.
What about when you sacrifice something good now (for yourself for something better in the future (for someone else)?
What you sacrifice could be fame, fortune, comfort, time, or many other good things.
Some have even sacrificed their very lives for the future freedom (good) of others.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I'm drawn to thinking about sacrifice because Psalms 107:22 talks about making a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Why is giving thanks a sacrifice? Perhaps because it is an intentional minimizing of myself in order to magnify another, in this case God.
Even in prison I have much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for God's faithfulness, His Love, His Grace, and Forgiveness. I'm thankful for many things and I try to maintain an attitude of gratefulness at all times.
As you carve your turkeys and gather with family, what sacrifice of thanks will you make?
