How Our Biggest Blessings Intertwine with Our Greatest Sacrifice
What is your gut reaction to this quote by Mark Batterson? “The biggest blessings involve the greatest sacrifice…” Did you quickly agree, or did you pause and read the quote for a second time? I wonder if you agreed at first and then pondered if I was asking a trick question. Perhaps you refused to answer because you deliberated over what the quote was referring to and you needed more information before deciding.
Batterson made his statement in his book, Double Blessing. He wrote the statement in the context of growing in “the grace of giving.” His idea is we find our greatest blessings when we are generous in every aspect of our lives.
Sacrifice and Blessing
Mothers live out this quote. When a woman gets pregnant, she undergoes the process where her body stretches to the size of a small barn. She endures lack of sleep, comfort, and messed up hormones. On the day of birth, she suffers the pain of delivery, and then receives the blessing of a newborn.
Anyone who has committed to improving his or her health agrees with Batterson’s quote. He changes the pattern of what he eats. She chooses to exercise and manage sore muscles. He might choose to give up drinking beer or going out so he can accomplish his goal with lesser difficulty. She changes her lifestyle to gain the blessing of engaging more actively in life and possibly live longer.
My sweet Pastor husband lived out Batterson’s quote when he went back to school for his doctorate. He functioned on less sleep, ran fewer miles, and chose to read instead of watching sports on TV. He sacrificed things he liked to do for a season and gained the blessing of fresh knowledge and an advanced degree.
I remember when I was in Junior High. I wanted to be friends with Jacqualine; she was cool. We had the same Home Economics class, but we sat at different tables. Every day, I hoped she would notice me and reach out to be my friend. Sadly, I was too afraid to reach out to her. Consequently, without sacrifice, I didn’t gain the blessing of being her friend.
Jesus Sets the Standard for Sacrifice
Batterson’s full quote reads as follows. “The biggest blessings involve the greatest sacrifices and Jesus set the standard.”[1]
I find it difficult to compare what I sacrifice to what Jesus sacrificed. Jesus offered every aspect of His life, investing in the blessing of God’s Kingdom. Jesus didn’t own a nice home, and He didn’t build a business or a career. He didn’t plan financially for retirement or pile savings for a nice vacation. Christ didn’t find the love of his life, marry, and start a family to carry on His legacy.
We see homes, career, retirement, vacations, marriage, and family as the foundations of a blessed life. Yet Jesus wasn’t overly concerned about any of those things. He sacrificed what we deem important to gain the blessing of following God’s will.
I know I struggle at times with this idea of sacrifice. Simply stated, I fear God will ask too much of me. I’ve mentioned before I am a lover of comfort and ease. There are times I choose not to do something because I perceive it will be too hard and require too much commitment. However, I then miss the fun, excitement, and/or benefit of what I refused.
Law of Measures
In Matthew 7, Jesus taught His followers not to judge others. He clearly stated that whatever standard one used to judge others, he would be judged by that same standard. Jesus was referring to how harshly the religious people and leaders judged everybody else, holding them to a level of perfection that couldn’t be met. He encouraged His followers to be concerned with aligning their own lives with God’s will instead of criticizing others.
Batterson, in his book Double Blessing, refers to this as the Law of Measures. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”[2] I believe this Law of Measures can be applied to circumstances beyond judging others.
I know at times my measurement is comfort, or at least limited discomfort. Some people measure according to financial cost. Others use the measurement of approval, success, or safety.
When I measure something according to comfort, I evaluate how much comfort I must sacrifice to be obedient. In addition, I then tend to see my blessings only in correlation to what increases my level of comfort. When our measurement is finances, we just perceive our sacrifices and blessings in light of how our pocketbook is affected. If I measure according to approval, then I distinctly view sacrifices and blessings in light of whether I am accepted or not, liked or not.
See Beyond Sacrifice to the Blessing
As my daughter has gotten older, she has become more involved in sports. She kayaks, climbs, runs, hikes, plays softball, and has even attempted to learn skateboarding. When she was younger, she never went out for sports or even seemed interested beyond the hikes we took on vacation.
We asked her this summer what changed. She told us she isn’t concerned about how she appears to others anymore when she attempts something new. She altered her measurement, and she gained an ability to focus on the blessing of being active.
Too many times we only see the sacrifice asked of us. We become too caught up in measuring what we are to surrender, and we miss the bounty of the blessing God has for us.
Jesus’ Life is an Example of Sacrifice and Blessing
Jesus didn’t complain about not having a home. Instead, he enjoyed the pleasure of staying with friends. Christ didn’t get married and have children, yet he created relationships and a legacy that is eternal. He never opened his own carpenter’s shop, and He still built a following that continues today.
Jesus focused His life on God’s measurement, and He reaped the benefit of God’s blessing. “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:17, NLT) “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you…I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.” (John 17:1-5) “…I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
Jesus focused His life on God’s measurement, and He reaped the benefit of God’s blessing. “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:17, NLT) “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you…I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.” (John 17:1-5) “…I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
Measuring Sacrifice or Measuring Blessing?
Each of us must identify what we use as our measurement. We must know if we are creating our own problems because we are using the wrong measuring stick. In addition, we must be willing to see beyond the sacrifice to the wonder of the blessing.
Where are you today? Are you willing to submit to Christ and choose His measurement of obedience and glorifying God in all things? Do you wish for a blessing but are too afraid to sacrifice, like my experience with Jacqualine in Junior High? Are you willing to sacrifice and gain the blessing God waits to offer you?
It’s time for us choose our measurement wisely and live with grace and generosity. Jesus set the standard, and we are to offer every aspect of our lives in obedience to what He asks of each of us. It may seem excessively sacrificial; however, it comes with the greatest blessings imaginable.
[1] Batterson, Mark. Double Blessing. Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, 2019. Page 135
[2] ibid, p.133
Blessings Photo by Jack Niles on Unsplash
