Sacrifice of Love

Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:1-2

“It must be so lonely for the people in the nursing home.” Anna placed her Bible on the dining room table. “After I read Mrs. Henshaw the Bible, her whole face lit up. I wish she could read the Bible on her own, but she’s blind, so she can’t.”

“I’m sure Mrs. Henshaw appreciated you visiting her with your Sunday School class,” said Mom. “Here.” She handed Anna an empty cardboard box. “Can you help me find things around the house we don’t need? Our church thrift shop is asking for donations.”

“Let’s check my room.” Anna sped to her bedroom, and Mom followed.

“Anna.” Mom pointed at the bed. “You sure have a lot of stuffed animals. Do you think you can part with a few?”

“Okay, I don’t mind giving most of them away, but I can’t part with Effie, my stuffed elephant. I’ve had him since I was three years old.”

“Doesn’t he have the whole Bible in a pocket on his tummy?” asked Mom.

Anna nodded. “There’s a recorder inside the pocket. You just press the button and he speaks God’s Word. I used to listen to him every night, but now I only sleep with him.”

“Why did you stop listening to the recording?”

“Because now I can read the Bible on my own.” Anna’s brows scrunched up. “You know, I think Mrs. Henshaw would love listening to Effie, but it would be hard to give him up. I could give her the Bible recording without Effie, but I think she’d like him too.”

“That would be a sacrifice, Anna.”

“What’s a sacrifice?”

“A sacrifice is something you give up for another person. Jesus made a sacrifice for us when gave up His life to save us by dying on the cross. When we give up things for others, we show how much we love Him because of what He did for us and that we want others to know His love too.”

Anna picked up her stuffed elephant and hugged him. “I’m going to really miss Effie, but I want Mrs. Henshaw to have him. Do you think we can stop by the nursing home again today?”

-Chanda Singleton Griese

How About You?

Have you ever made a sacrifice? Was it hard to do? Do you know about the sacrifice Jesus made for you? Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, sacrificed Himself by dying on the cross for all the wrong things we do so we can be forgiven. When we trust in Him, He fills us with His love, and then we can be willing to make sacrifices to help others know Him too.

Today’s Key Verse:
Matthew 20:28 The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Live a life of sacrifice