Sacrifice

PREPARE YOUR EARS TO LISTEN AND YOUR HEART TO RECEIVE AS YOU TAKE IN THE WORDS THAT LOOK TO CHANGE LIVES, RENEW HEARTS AND OPEN MINDS How many times have you heard the phrases," "I gotcha you," "don't be a stranger" or the famous "call me if you need me" uttered to you in a time of crisis or just because? When you hear those words, how do you process those words? Do you look at the person who said them and think or know that they are genuine and you can count on them to be there if you need them or do you take it with a grain of salt as if they were trying to comfort or sooth you in that moment? I have always been taught that words matter and I live by the saying "say what you mean and mean what you say".

I believe that phrases such as those should have a time caveat when said because there are some people who mean it in that moment and not in the moment that you need them. I truly believe that there are people that mean it when they tell someone "call me if you need me, day or night" and they will be there with no judgment, content, ill will, or expecting something in return.

We all have a spirit to help, empathize, and sympathize for one another and that is why we use phrases such as these, but not knowing what sacrifices might have to be made when you do receive that knock on the door or that phone call is when those words might become empty, because in that moment of truth, they wanted to show you sympathy and empathy not knowing that when you might actually need them, they might have to sacrifice their money, talent, or worse their time.

The definition of sacrifice is the destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else. Personal sacrifice is of oneself or one's interest for others or for a cause or ideal. Amazingly enough when that person has to put something up or an offering such as advice or prayer, they are more than willing to do that, but when it comes to their money, talent, or time, is when those words might fall upon deaf ears.

When something is sacrificed, it is alive or has meaning or value to you. When you sacrifice yourself, you are humbling yourself to satisfy or comfort someone else in their time of need regardless of what you are experiencing. A sacrificial person has qualities that include peaceful, faithful, comforter, patient, and kind.

So the next time you want to utter one of those phrases, ask yourself, am I willing to offer myself "a living sacrifice" up to help someone else out of their situation in their time of need and on their schedule and not mine? #SPEAK2MYHEART