Silent Sacrifices (06/22/2025)

She usually came around 5:30 a.m. She drove her car up into my driveway, threw the paper out close to the garage door, and then backed out slowly, turned around and headed on to finish her route. I spoke with her occasionally, I’m an early riser, you know. She delivered over 450 papers every day. When she was done, she had a short break before starting her next job, a 9-5 gig at a desk. One wouldn’t guess the silent sacrifices she made daily to provide for her family with many special needs.

Our world is full of individuals who daily make choices for love of others, who silently sacrifice sleep, personal dreams, and simple pleasures so that others may have what they need. I see them in the mall, at the grocery store, in my neighborhood, at church, in my own home. I remember when I was going through chemo, my husband sat with me the whole time – every three weeks, three days of chemo lasting roughly 20 hours. He had places he’d rather been and things he’d rather be doing. But he was there for me.

The LORD calls all of us to make silent sacrifices, to lovingly choose what the other needs over our own desires. Sometimes it means giving up something we desire, sometimes it means doing something we’d rather not, sometimes it means being who the other needs in the moment even if it makes us uncomfortable. But we follow Christ who gave His all for us for love of the Father and love of us. As my father told me years ago, “God takes care of good people doesn’t always look like we think it should. Sometimes it isn’t pretty, but it is beautiful.”

Jesus showed us how to love well and love long, how to put the needs of those we love above our own desire at the moment. Jesus modeled for us the possibilities when we are able to make loving sacrifices.

This day, as we continue our journeys of faith, buoyed by the hope of our LORD’s promise, and fueled by His love which makes all the difference in us and our lives, may we willingly pick up the mantle of discipleship and be willing to make those sacrifices necessary for those we love. While many will never be recognized this side of the sod, let us give ourselves lovingly.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.