The Bible is full of stories about sacrifice and its necessity amongst God’s creation. The word itself derives from the Latin root words sacer, meaning ‘Holy’, and facere, a verb meaning ‘to do, to make’.

From these terms we can determine fairly easily what the word means and what it ultimately entails. If it’s so simple, why does it seem so difficult?

Moses’ Sacrifice

Let’s look back at Exodus during the time of Moses and the enslaved Israelites of ancient Egypt. When Moses caught an Egyptian beating on one of his fellow peoples:

“One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.”

Exodus 2:11 ESV

Moses responded by slaying the Egyptian and going into hiding in the land of Midian. His fear of consequences gave him all the reason he needed to never return to Egypt.

Not long after that God heard the groanings of his people. In response He chose Moses to be the man to lead His people out of captivity. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and assigned him this task, but Moses gave many excuses and doubts:

“But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

Exodus 3:11 ESV

What follows is what makes up the book of Exodus. Moses successfully leads his people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea and brings them to the very edge of the Promised Land. Through all of his excuses, doubts, and fears, the Lord provided Moses with the means to do the task set before him. 

Moses sacrificed his own will for that of God’s. He put aside his own reservations in order to please his Lord and the many other peoples who depended upon him for a better life.

If he had simply given in to his own desires and wants, following his fear instead of his God, the history of God’s people would likely look drastically different, and the world would’ve suffered as a consequence. 

Some of the Bible’s greatest leaders were also some of the world’s most sacrificial men.

Perhaps the greatest form of sacrifice is also the greatest and most pure form of love: that of laying down one’s life for the benefit of another(s). This can be demonstrated both in the literal sense as well as figuratively; that is, laying aside one’s own desires for the needs of another. 

Jesus on the Cross

Let’s turn towards the greatest example of sacrifice in all of human history: Jesus Christ. Though His specific example is one that we could never repeat ourselves, dying for the redemption of all of God’s creation, we can use Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice as a framework for determining the importance of giving up oneself for the benefit of another.

As men we are called to a higher responsibility in this regard. As husbands and fathers, even more so. We are expected and advised to live as Jesus did.

There are many great ways to do this, but perhaps the greatest way is to die (figuratively) to ourselves and live for the sake of others. As husbands this means we are to put aside our own wants and desires in order to elevate the needs of our wives. We must humble our flesh and forego what our sinful condition begs for us to do.

The point is clear: Jesus laid down his life so that we might attain it. There are many men who have laid down their lives for others, and there are many who have counted others more significant then themselves, and in that way sacrificed just as well.

We are called to live like Jesus, and that means we have no excuses, doubts, or fears that justify us not being the Sacrificial Man we are meant to be.

Applying it to Your Life

Men, serve your wives and your children. Sacrifice your own desires; video games, the grinding pursuit of money, pornography, other women, an undisciplined quickness to anger. Let them die and let the Sacrificial spirit be born within you that seeks to serve the needs of your family and those around you.

Put aside your pride, that which tells you that others are living their lives as fools while you are exempt from that label. Kill the desire to peek, the inclination to explode, and the urge to walk out. Boys die in the pain of life and the man is born, but he who hangs behind in pleasures has never left his boyhood.

Sacrifice because it pleases the Lord and because it is what he has called you to do. Give to others your time and your effort. Don’t hold back what can be given, for in a way you may not understand the devil has already taken it.

In the home we as men can do sacrificial things in very tangible ways. You don’t do the dishes because you enjoy doing the dishes, you do it because it takes the burden off of your wife and gives her more time to herself.

Spend more time with your children so that your wife has even a small period of rest. Take it as a chance for your children to experience the love and presence of their father instead. That’s something they desperately need.

Some of the ways you can start sacrificing for your family today include(s):

• Taking on chores on a daily basis, without being asked
• Spending more time with the kids, and encouraging the wife to go and relax
• Limit late nights out with buddies, spend intimate time with wife
• Give up sleep here and there to change the diaper instead of leaving it to your wife
• Let go of your earthly passions if it interferes with your families development and health

Sacrifice is about doing that which is holy. Whenever we sacrifice we please not just our family, but our Lord as well.

Like all things of true spiritual significance we often find the truth of its value only when we are tested. In order to be sacrificial you have to become the very best at passing tests that God hands down to you. 

If you have a broken marriage or are struggling to connect with your children, sacrifice may be the missing ingredient to a better relationship. Likewise, if you find common accusations against you focus on your pride or narcissism, then you can know for sure that the time has come for you to stop serving yourself and start serving others.

In Conclusion

The Sacrificial Man is humble, in submission to the Lord, generous, and counts all others more significant than himself. If you struggle with sacrifice as I have throughout my entire life, let today be the day you start to turn yourself around to serve God and lead your family in humble servitude.

Peace be with you, your wives, and your children! Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit more about sacrifice.

If you’re wanting to read more please take a look at some other important blog posts concerning sacrifice and how it should play a role in our lives:

• 7 Traits of a Sacrificial Man
• Are You the Ephesians 5 Man?
• 4 Ways You Must Provide