GIVING 'TIL IT HURTS

by Scott Lundy

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her. As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks.

Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away. You see, being so young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister ALL of his blood in order to save her.

Liz's brother was willing to give EVERYTHING in order to save her. There is nothing safe, convenient or comfortable about that kind of giving. Normal human behavior is to give out of our abundance; taking no real risk because there is plenty to go around without infringing significantly upon our lives. But to give sacrificially? To give until it hurts? No thanks - that sounds too dangerous! Yet that is exactly the kind of giving that we celebrate during Christmas.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst~ (1 Timothy 1:15) And make no mistake about it: saving us was a total commitment filled with pain.

"But we see Jesus...now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for Whom and through Whom everything exists, would make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering...Since the children have flesh and blood, [Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:9-10, 1415)

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us...But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man (Adam), how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (Romans 5:8, 15)

Our Creator gave until it hurt (and He still does). He gave sacrificially; He gave everything with no reserve. That is a gift that can - and should - be cherished, celebrated and shared with others. Liz's brother was fortunately mistaken in thinking that he would have to give all of his blood in order to save her. For Jesus, though, the reality was much harsher: He did indeed have to give ALL of His blood in order to save us.

And so salvation is fully available, waiting only for you to trust in Christ's sacrifice for you. I'm so grateful that He gave until it hurt! As Randy Travis sings: "He had the birthday, we got the gift.” Thank you, Jesus.

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