A Faithful, Sacrificial Life

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬
Are you living a life that is conscientious of the needs of those around you? Do you ever feel compelled to be compassionate and kind? Are you constantly allowing the Holy Spirit to make you sensitive to others?
As believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ we are called to be like Jesus. Jesus was moved with compassion and touched the lives of those around Him. One instance was with a leper. This condition quarantined a person from society. They had to cry “unclean, unclean” when they were around others to warn them of the potential contagion (see Leviticus 13:38-46). This was a life of utter isolation and loneliness. Jesus, unlike His religious peers, didn’t shun the man. In fact, He reached out, touched him, and He healed him. The act of touching such a person was an extreme act of compassion and love.
“A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:40-42‬ ‭NLT‬‬
Jesus lived His life as a sacrifice. We, too, are called to be sacrificial.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬
In everything we do we are to please God. Our conscience must be keenly awakened by the Holy Spirit to His character and call. We must yield our lives to Him and let Him live through us. As we do this we will make a difference in the lives of other people. Their plight becomes our concern as well as our own. This is the essence of loving your neighbor as yourself (see Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39;
Mark 12:31).
When we truly love God we will, correspondingly, love our fellow man.
Are you living a faithful, sacrificial life? One that is seeking to help others? Serve in humility and quietness. Don’t seek the applause of men. Seek the applause of heaven! Make a difference in the world through Jesus Christ!
Perhaps I should say it this way: Let Jesus make a difference in the world through you!

Curtis R. Norris