Sacrifice

It is so hard for me to envision what Christ did for us. It is so hard for me to grap even the thought of an average person sacrificin anything for anyone else. But recently God has shown me his heart in men that I admire. He is showing me in the smallest way what it looks like to give your life for something.

Three men come to my mind when I think about this, the first is the husband of one of my mother's friends. My mom's friend Jessica* found herself seriously dating one guy and sleeping with another. She was in her early twenties and made some mistakes. However when she decided to stop sleeping with the other guy and confess it all, she found herself pregnant. She was not going to abort this baby due to the fact that her mother almost aborted her and her religious convictions. However she was stuck.

I had always thought about this story from her perspective, but never from that of her husband. Honestly, what woudl you do? You are a male in his early to mid twenties, a good christian guy who has been seriously dating this girl whom you love. You not only find out that she has been cheating on you, but she is pregnant with another man's baby. you have been waiting, taking things slowly, and eventually wanted to have your own family with this girl. What would you do? I would expect most guys to simply leave. After all, she cheated on you. And you have no reason to give up your life to raise a baby you had no part in. But that is not what this guy did.

He married her. they were soon married and he was there as she gave birth to the baby and he has been there for all of the baby girl's life. He raised her as her own and now she is in her teenage years and he is the only father she has ever known and he loves her just like his own. Even though they had a rough start, he gave his life to these two girls. But that wasn't where the hardship ended. When they were finally able to have thier own child a few years later, thier son was born with several problems which required LONG surgeries, extensive time in the Nicu and a very lowly predicted life expentency. And even if he lived it would be endless doctor's visits, and never walking, and nothing good could come of it. I woudl think that after that time this poor man would just give up. But He didn't. He trusted God for the outcome and gave of himself. Several years later this boy is in his young teenage years, walking, still small with some health issues, but he is doing things just like a normal boy. Praise God that thier third child was a beautiful and healthy girl. I have often thought about this family as one that I admire but I had never thought about it from his perspective. And I really admire him.

Another man I think of who has given his life for his family is a friend of mine's dad. While he had a great start, marrying the girl of his dreams and having three beautiful children together, with the first two even being twins. However there was a cog thrown into the game. Thier fourth child was born with Downs Syndrome. I know so many guys who would have just left there. Or tried to put the child in a home, or something. But he didn't. He loved this child and that little boy is one of the sweetest people I know. But that wasn't the hardest thing for this family. More recently this man's wife was diagnosed with cancer and cofined to a wheelchair because of it. I know a lot of people who might have left at this point. Or atleast resented having to take care of her. But he didn't. His love for her is stronger than ever. He does everything he can to care for her and work to provide for thier family.

The third man I think of is another one of my friend's fathers. He married a woman who already had two children, stuck with her while her children were in and out of drug addictions and jail, he stuck with her through her mental illness. He is a strong man who gave his life for his family and for the woman he loved.

While none of these men are perfect I believe they honestly portray the verse where it says husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church. This love is seen often in women but far too rarely in men. But I see these sacrifices and this love that they have and I have hope. And I am able to see a simple picture of how Christ cares for me. No matter what I do, no matter what happens, he doesn't leave and he gives his life for me.