The Ultimate Sacrifice. What is it?
Is it giving up your life for a friend? For a loved one? For a nation? For a cause?
Curious, on this Memorial Day, May 27th, 2013, I decided to look up the term online. Thus speaks Urban Dictionary:
- To give everything you have to save someone or something that you hold most dear. Requires that you give yourself, in order to provide them sanctuary. Trading your own life for the lives of many would be an example of the Ultimate Sacrifice.
- The Ultimate Sacrifice is an extremely patriotic & heroic devotion to one’s country, particularly in the United States of America.
Death, especially for a cause or for one’s country.
I don’t know about you; but, in light of the Ultimate Sacrifice, any sacrifice I’ve ever made pales by comparison.
Let’s see.
- I’ve missed some sleep nursing babies in the middle of the night.
- I’ve missed a social event or two or three in order to get my work done.
- I’ve skipped some mouth-watering desserts in order to trim my waistline.
I think that’s about it.
I come from a long line of army and navy officers. Gratefully, only one member paid the Ultimate Sacrifice — my great great (great?) uncle who died in 1918 during the World War One flu epidemic shortly after his graduation from the United States Naval Academy (USNA).
God rest his soul.
My father, a Pearl Harbor survivor, served our country for 30 years as a naval officer; my brother for 20; my daughter just completed her third-year at USNA. My role thus far has been to support and encourage and love them and to be supported and encouraged and loved by them — not exactly a hardship.
I looked up Ultimate Sacrifice online because, though I know what it means in my head, I don’t know what the Ultimate Sacrifice feels like in my heart. The definitions didn’t begin to describe the heartbreak, the pain, the loss of the grieving survivors.
You know what I should have done instead?
- I should have called my friend Dave whose son was killed by “friendly” fire. I bet he could have told me.
- I should have called my friend Shannon whose husband was killed by enemy fire. I bet she could have told me.
- I should have called my friend Kris who lost her dad in Viet Nam. I know she could have told me.
The Ultimate Sacrifice. To put yourself at risk … to offer your life for many … to serve rather than to be served.
There is no greater love than this—that a man should lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13
Do I have what it takes to offer the Ultimate Sacrifice for my friends, my country, my loved ones, as a civilian? I pray that I do.
I pray I’d have the faith and courage of third-grade teacher Julie Simon in Moore, OK, who ushered her students into a closet and shielded them from the wrath of last week’s deadly, record-making tornado.
I pray I’d have the faith and courage of Corrie ten Boom who hid Jews in her home in Holland to protect them from certain annihilation.
I pray I’d have the faith and courage required to offer up the Ultimate Sacrifice, by the grace of God, for friends and strangers alike.
On this Memorial Day, May 27th, 2013, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you to the wives and husbands and mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and fiancés and fiancéés of those who have given their all so that others, like me, may live free.
And, of course, thank you, thank you to those who made the Ultimate Sacrifice themselves.
We remember you.
With Love, Admiration, Respect, and Gratitude,
This is a really good post Jory,
I agree with you on many points and share the sentiment that you express in this post. However, may I take it one step further while defining the keyword Ultimate Sacrifice? And I mean the living definition given to us by the very one who took our sins upon Himself and traded His Righteousness, freely giving it to us on the cross. The Ultimate Sacrifice made by the One who when speaking of his life said, ” No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily.” John 10:18
Anyway. Jesus Christ is to me the perfect example of Ultimate Sacrifice, and if we would be His students then we too must take up our cross daily and follow HIm.
This is a good post, and I do not intend in any way to take away from the sentiment and appreciation of those who’ve gone on before. I just feel compelled in moments like these to lift up Jesus.
God bless you, and keep writing, Jory.
I appreciate all that you do!
-Martin
Absolutely, Martin! Christ is woven throughout this post in heart, soul, mind, and spirit.
John 10:18 and 15:13 say it all!
Thank you for making that message overt.
I’m with ya, bro!
Jory
Thanks Jory – I did not know your Dad was a Pearl Harbor Survivor. Lived in Honolulu for 18 months and was there several times – cried every time. The kind of sacrifice you and Martin are discussing here is rare. That kind of sacrifice doesn’t just happen. The USAFA trained us thoroughly for that potential. As Christians, I don’t think we will be ready to make that big sacrifice unless we do the “daily” now. So many will turn away or deny the Lord rather than die for him ultimately if they don’t lay down their fleshy desires daily now.
“Doing the daily” is integral to our faith. When I look at the saints in Scripture (e.g., Hebrews 11 as well as the apostles), again I pale by comparison. And yet, they encourage me to keep going and keep growing. Reading about their love for the Lord and how they committed their lives to serving Him day after day strengthens and encourages me. Communion and community, prayer and service, help us prepare for what may be required of us down the road.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, Curt.
Jory
Curt,
I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s the daily choices we make now, that determine what choices we will make on the bigger issues.
-How would I respond to someone threatening me to renounce Christ or die?
-How would I respond if one of my children said that “God doesn’t exist”
-How would I respond if someone in my church published lies about me?
-How would I respond to suddenly acquiring large amounts of financial wealth?
These large issues in life, and the way I would respond to them, is not so much what I should be concerned about. But rather, what are the daily, little choices TODAY, that I am making, to deny self, take up my cross, and follow Jesus.
Like cancelling my appointment in 30 minutes, and going home to be with my wife who just got the stomach flu and needs my help.
Blessings,
-Martin
I love it when Christians “get real” and demonstrate how we put our faith into practice. You’ve given us much to ponder, Martin. Thank you.
How would I respond???
I pray your wife’s illness is short-lived and that you and your children are immune to the virus.
Blessings, Martin, and thank you.
Great post Jory, We don’t have a Memorial Day here in Canada but we have a Veteran’s Day (previously called Remembrance Day) that is held on Nov 11. This is to honour the signing of the armistice held on Nov 11 at 11am. Somewhere I read about the idea of going up to a veteran and shaking their hand and thanking them personally. I have found this to be a profoundly moving and very real experience. Thank you for your thoughts, Jory.
I’ve had the joy of being present when people have come up to thank my daughter (in uniform).
I’ve teared up, especially at airports, when thanking soldiers heading to or returning from Afghanistan, Iraq, and other areas of conflict.
It takes a special man and a special woman to be willing to make the Ultimate Sacrifice, if necessary, for the cause of liberty and freedom.
I love what you wrote, Sigrid, and share your sentiment. I’m sure your veterans appreciate the recognition on November 11th and every day of the year.
Blessings.
Jory