Leave-Taking: A Reminder of the Sacrifice of Jesus

Just under seven years ago, I moved overseas as a single male for a year-long internship. Back then, I was excited, nervous, and looking back, quite ignorant. I had counted the cost of going and knew it was worth it. Serving Jesus and taking the Good News where it has not yet gone is a worthy endeavor. Yet, I did not truly know what it meant to sacrifice.

Today, I head overseas for an indefinite period, married with two children. As I sit on our third plane (out of four), I am struck by an immense weight. Saying goodbye was hard. Way harder than I imagined. I had done it before, less than 7 years ago. I was prepared, right? Wrong. The reality of going long-term has officially settled in my mind. Many tears have been shed. What have I gotten myself into now? How many family events will I miss back home? Will my relationships be the same (no, they won’t, but you get the point)? Can I ever wrap my mind around all the things that I am sacrificing? Just as I was ignorant as a single male, I am ignorant now.

Much ink has already been spilled over sacrifice. The sacrifice of those who go, and the sacrifice of those who are left behind. Everyone sacrifices and must be flexible when a worker answers God’s call to go to the nations. Yes, with technological advances, it is easier to stay connected, but that same technology can also be a significant challenge to transition. How much is too much time talking with friends and family back home? How easy is it to look at social media and think, that could have been my life?

As I sit here reflecting, I cannot help but think about the sacrifice of our Savior. Just this last Sunday, we got to celebrate our risen Savior. Fitting, that just six days after Easter, we embark on our journey. Jesus, the living and abiding Word of God, our Savior, was beaten, mocked, scorned, shamed, and murdered. In the Garden, Jesus knew what lay before Him. He knew what He would face. And yet, He chose to undergo this willingly for my sake, for your sake, and for the sake of the world. What a sacrifice. Even though I know more about sacrifice now than I did when I was single, it still pales in comparison to what my Lord and Savior chose. And in this I am comforted.

I am also challenged. Challenged to continue the work by working hard and pressing into what Jesus has called me to do overseas. Jesus, knowing He would give of His life, challenged His followers to live sacrificial lives. Two passages display this idea well:

Luke 14:25–28, 33 says, “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? …. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Matthew 20:28 says, “He came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

These two passages challenge me. They challenge me to live not for myself, but for Christ. They challenge me to be obedient and follow Jesus. They also put my sacrifice into a proper perspective. Jesus called those who follow Him to renounce everything: father, mother, brothers, sisters, and jobs. Even when the going gets tough, I know that His grace is greater still.

Some of you reading this may be considering going overseas. Some of you might be thinking, “I cannot do that. How could I ever make a sacrifice like that? I am comfortable, and my life is good right now.” Well, let this reminder be a challenge to you. I hope and pray you consider what God is calling you to sacrifice for His glory! The harvest is plentiful, and the laborers are few. The harvest needs more laborers. Are you willing to step out in faith to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth?