Given: A Sacrificial Love Story

While I own my life, my life is not my own.

This statement became very real to me after I had my first baby. He regularly needed his diaper changed (obviously)… and I remember thinking that motherhood’s no small task and what an awesome responsibility it was. This tiny little human was totally dependent on me, a 20 year old girl. I guess, technically, I was a woman for all intents and purposes. After all, I did give birth to this boy child! Little did I know that was only the beginning of the sacrifices I would be making. For the following 6 years, I would give birth to three more children and my days of wiping bottoms, making bottles, and chasing toddlers had just begun. I’m not gonna lie, those years left me bone tired and overwhelmed at times. But, the love for my babies flowed from a deep place within, and I knew from the very start that I would give my life for them. No matter how many messes I had to clean or how many nights I’d spend without sleep.

While I own my life, my life is not my own.

I have been fortunate to share life with some pretty extraordinary people. Folks who lay their lives down everyday for the well being of others, these include pastors, teachers, stay-at-home moms, working moms, fathers, directors of recovery homes, counselors, youth leaders, and countless others. Folks whose unseen giveness reaches beyond a superficial lifestyle. They may not drive fancy cars or live in pinterest-perfect homes, but the work they do , the love they give, the sacrificial lives they live speak loud to the hearts of lost souls. They choose daily to live given. I’ve heard it described as living cruciform-cross-shaped, arms open wide, face to the heavens, heart rendered to serving. They put others needs above their own… and they own it.

Scripture is full with passages about sacrificial love. I’m reminded of Ruth and Boaz- the sweetest little love story in all the Bible. (Seems appropriate to share on the eve of Valentine’s Day). This familiar narrative is a beautiful example of selflessness. As Ruth mourned the loss of her husband and the life she dreamed of, she clung to her mother-in-law with faithful determination, vowing to stay in it for the long haul. We find later in the text that this decision to live given led her to Boaz, the family’s kinsman redeemer. Boaz, loyal and filled with compassion, was merciful to Ruth and brought her into his community, his life, his heart. He redeemed her. This was only the beginning of the mission to redeem generations to come. A foreshadowing of Christ redeeming us. Both Ruth and Boaz exemplify how, when we are willing to do the hard things, we make space in our lives for blessing.

We’ve all been given this one life to live. We get to choose how we will spend it. Will we keep it to ourselves? Will we stay wrapped up in our own plans, in our own little worlds, having our own cake and eating it too? Or will we put ourselves out there as vessels to be poured and used for His purpose?

~ Carly