Christmas is all about . . . Sacrifice?

We sat in the cozy Inn reading room, our friend's eyes welling with tears.  There was a fire crackling in the fire place as the winds ushered in the cool autumn air.  Heidi and I sat on the floor, her husband sat silently with his arm around her shoulders, and she told her story. 

They had recently been on a family vacation with their grown children and grand kids.  Conversation over boardgames and comfort food turned to talk about Jesus and musings about missions as it often did with this bunch.  It was time to share their hearts and though they thought their kids would be on board, they weren't sure how well the news would go over. 

"We've been thinking about Christmas," they began softly as their hearts placed the words on their lips.  She spoke of a family at church who was preparing for the mission field and how she longed to be a part of God's plan.  "We don't have much, but we need to be part of this, and we want you to be a part too." They had decided to make the missionaries members of their family this year.  "So, we were thinking that we would take half of what we budgeted for gifts for each of you and use it to make a love offering for the missionaries." 

She struggled to force out the rest of the words as she could hold back her tears no longer.  "Give it all," they said.  "Give it all."  Her husband hugged her as smiles broadened our faces.  He glowed with the pride of a father whose children had done well.

Her words took me back to our first family mission trip.  We planned to go at Christmas time because the missionaries needed help serving a banquet for a community of over 300.  We decided that this trip would be about sacrifice.  Many of the families going that year gave up their Christmas.  No presents, no tree, no lights, only Jesus.  All gave of their time and selves and all sold personal items at a flea market to raise funds for travel to the slums of Chihuahua, Mexico.

On Christmas morning that year, we got in the car with the handful of gifts that we bought.  I remember the smile on Isaac's face and anxiousness in his eyes as we rang the doorbell and ran to the running car after leaving the wrapped treasures on a doorstep in an nearby community.  That year, we learned about sacrifice and about giving and receiving. 

Further back, I think of a perfect Christmas sacrifice.  I remember that another Father left a precious gift on a doorstep.  One who gave it all.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)


God gave his only Son to sinful people who didn't want him.  He watched from on high as his Son grew and learned.  He smiled down on the Son with whom he was well pleased; I imagine like our friend did as he thought about the sacrifice his kids were making.  God watched Jesus heal and forgive.  He saw him teach and feed.  Then he saw his son rejected and spit on.  Finally, he turned his back when his Son became sin for me.  


Sacrifice has a purpose.  The bigger the purpose, the bigger the sacrifice.  God sent his Son, Jesus to pay the price for my sins because I couldn't do it myself.  Now, he is sending my family to others so we can tell them of the joy found in Jesus' sacrifice.  When I think about sacrificing the American Dream, family, friends, weddings, funerals, birthday parties, Ravens games, cheese, and air condition; I think about running with endurance, "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2 ESV) 


God sacrificed his Son to graft us into his family.  We are so honored this year that our friends have adopted us into their family as well.