Sacrifice

Proverbs 21:3

The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.

Most people prefer to live by the motto: “Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” It is this type of behavior that keeps flower shops in business. I know I have stopped to buy a bundle of flowers as a “peace offering” to my wife. Acting first and then determining the consequences is easier but more destructive.

Since the death of Jesus, our concept of a sacrifice has changed. We think of sacrificing our money or time for God, but not in the manner the OT people thought of sacrifice. In the OT you offered a sacrifice to obtain something, mainly forgiveness from God. What we think of as “sacrifice” today would better be termed “an offering” since we know that forgiveness has already been fully paid for in the sacrifice of Christ.

Doing what is right and just in the first place is more pleasing to God than sacrifice, because doing what is right and just is God’s will for our lives. Sacrifice came into play only after sin entered the world. Righteousness and justice were present in the Garden but not sacrifice. Would we be more correct if our language in the church changed from talking about “our sacrifices” to talking about doing what is right and just? Certainly we should continue to talk about Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, but in light of what Christ has done, can anything we do rightly be called a sacrifice?

God who gave it all for me, help me to live out what is right and just today in my life. Transform my thinking to understand all my acts of service and giving as an offering to you instead of a sacrifice even when it cost me. - Dan Jones

PROVERBS 20:24

The LORD directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?

Free to enjoy the journey
Driving someplace for the first time requires directions and a map. Along the way, I always try to remember some recognizable landmarks so I can return without having to use a map. Perhaps it is a gas station at the turn, or a cemetery along a deserted stretch of highway that remind me I am going in the right direction. This technique is especially useful in the country where road signs are not always present at intersections.

A second habit of mine before traveling is to take some time to study the route I will be taking on a map. This helps me to get a general sense of the direction I am traveling and alternate roads that go in the same general direction should I get lost. Studying the map and scoping out the landscape help me arrive safely.

All of the above is unnecessary if I am traveling with someone who is familiar with the area. When I was in Guatemala on a mission trip, I did not pay much attention to the roads at all, since I would always be in the company of our driver and guide. I was free to enjoy the journey, instead of worrying how to get back to the airport.

Life with God should be more like Guatemala traveling. Resting in God frees me to enjoy life. I do not need to understand everything along the way because I know God is leading me where I need to go. He will ensure I get to my destination at the proper time.

God who leads me every step of life, I give you thanks for allowing me to enjoy the beauty of life without having to worry about getting back home safely. Your constant protection and provision give me assurance and comfort even during times of danger. – Dan Jones

PROVERBS 20:6

Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?

Deep friendships
I’m not a very good friend. For as long as I can remember I’ve tended to be a something of a loner. I’m social. I get along with many kinds of people and friendly to everyone. Since High Schools I’ve held leadership positions. Strangely, interacting with people feeds my spirit rather than drains it. I need people. (So Barbara Streisand would call me “lucky”) But I’m not a very good friend.

Psychologists Gary Smalley and John Trent call me an Otter personality. I could use this as an excuse, but it’s more of a description than a reason. My kind of people are broadly friendly but struggle to form deep friendships; to let others pass the fence to my interior life where a loner lives.

Now, pat me on the back, I have allowed one person beyond the fence to the point where I have become a loyal friend who is truly reliable. Of course that person is my wife. Parents and siblings are inside the fence too, but not nearly as far beyond it. And I have several who I’d consider neighbors. We occasionally talk over the fence, even sharing a cup of coffee and a relationship that would pass for friendship. But I’m not so sure I would classify myself as a “truly reliable” friend, a “good friend” perhaps, but not one of those friends who invests significant time and energy in the relationship or who walks through hell and high water together.

Beyond my loner tendency, part of my problem is geographical distance from those to whom I would offer this kind of friendship. Part of the issue is my career as a pastor where, for the people I shepherd, I am always pastor first and friend second. And certainly, my childhood experiences have contributed to my developing deep and lasting bonds of friendship.

However, as I’ve gained speed in my journey toward old age, I’ve begun to notice some chips in my loner fence. A few more people have slipped, almost surreptitiously across the threshold. While we are limited by geography, I’ve noticed an up tick in interaction (thanks to facebook!), a deeper commitment on my part to travel in order to spend time together, and a growing sense of loyalty. Perhaps there is hope for me yet.

Dearest Heavenly Friend, with your help and the grace of others, I will reach old age with more than casual friendships but having had the privilege of being a deep and reliable friend, one that has stuck closer than a brother to at least a handful of people. – Mike Leamon