06/02/2025
The Gift of Ourselves As A Gift of Love
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and a lot of praying, about generosity and the role sacrifice plays in it. I was struck deeply by King David’s statement:
I will not make an offering to God that has not cost me something.
The giving of ourselves is what makes a gift something powerful and life-changing. The more the giving of myself costs me something, the greater the power of the gift.
You know I love quotes, so after a little research, let me share a few of my favorites on this very subject:
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” — Jim Elliot, missionary martyr
“When you let go of what you are, you become what you might be.”
— Lao Tzu, ancient poet and philosopher
“Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.” —Jesus of Nazareth
“No one has ever become poor by giving.”
—Anne Frank
“To sacrifice something is to make it holy by giving it away for love.”
—Frederick Buechner
“There is no love without sacrifice, and no sacrifice without love.”
—Pope John Paul II
“Give, but give until it hurts.” —Mother Teresa
(She often said that real love begins where sacrifice begins.)
“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” —Kahlil Gibran
“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” —Maya Angelou
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It was inspired by a saying from about ten years ago:
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
There are several powerful and evocative artworks that depict the scene from Mark 9:14–29, where Jesus heals a boy possessed by an unclean spirit... Some of the following have internet links, the others are worth googling. Enjoy!
The Gift of Ourselves As A Gift of Love
The more the giving of myself costs me something, the greater the power of the gift. You know I love quotes, so after a little research, let me share a few of my favorites on this very subject:
The Loss of a Great Christian Leader
The death today of Pope Francis was particularly poignant, falling as it did on the day after Easter. As Protestant Christians we have a once removed interest in the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Yet the pope is the authoritative leader of 1.4 billion women and men around the world. It is worth our time to pause and consider what kind of man and what kind of legacy Pope Francis left behind.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Judas Iscariot
(Drawn from online sources)