Encarta defines sacrifice as: "a giving up of something valuable or important for somebody or something else considered to be of more value or importance."**
A few things to note here:
- You cannot take something that belongs to another person and say that is your sacrifice. For instance, if you ask someone to join you in praying (&/or fasting) for a particular reason and the person does it but you don't, you cannot say you fasted. (P.S. our pastors are not Prayer Consultants.) If you desire prayers, feel free to ask for prayers but pray as well. There's no reason why you should "go to sleep" and expect others to "stay up" praying for you. Your sacrifice should cost you something not cost someone else something. Let's read the verses that follow: And King David said to Ornan, No, but I will pay the full price. I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings which cost me nothing. So David gave to Ornan for the site 600 shekels of gold by weight. And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and called upon the Lord; and He answered him by fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering.*(1 Chron 21: 24-26) I wonder if God would have accepted the offerings if he hadn't paid for the land...hmmm
- Whatever you decide to give must be of a lower value than the person or purpose you are giving it up for. For instance, some women have given up career advancement in order to spend quality time with their families. Unfortunately, some others have it backwards...career advancement cannot fulfill you as much as a loving and God-fearing family - this is not to say that you should not aspire to advance in your career. All I'm saying is make sure you have the right priorities - the order is God, husband (or wife for men), family, ministry, career. Another example that comes to mind is people who use their children as an excuse not to serve God - wrong!!! How can a gift take the place of the Giver? Imagine your child wanting to spend more time with his/her toys and keeping you out of his/her life? How will that feel? How do you think God feels when we do everything we can to please His gifts while ignoring Him the Giver?
- No-one but you can determine if something is a sacrifice or not. In fact sometimes, one man's sacrifice is another man's surplus - remember the story of the widow's mites in Mark 12:41-43?
Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”***The widow's mites were just that - mites - in the eyes of the rich. - they threw in their money while she "put" hers in - what a difference in the manner of giving.
Let's stop here and ask ourselves:
- Do I give?
- How do I give?
- What do I give?
- Do I give of myself and my substance only when it is convenient?
Where do you think we'd all be if Jesus sent us money from heaven without giving His life for us? Jesus was blessed because He gave of Himself...He got many more brothers and sisters. Indeed giving of yourself pays.
This is the 5th month of the year and 5 is the number of Grace...we all need grace to give and live sacrificially 'cos is sure ain't easy. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us. Amen
Sources:
*Amplified Bible
**http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?lextype=3&search=sacrifice
*** New Living Translation
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