Wheat and Chaff

1973 was the year Roe v. Wade was decided, legalizing most abortions.  That year, a poor family with five kids went into the hospital to discuss a sixth pregnancy.  The doctor asked them if the pregnancy was planned, and they answered, "no."  So the doctor said, "We'll schedule the abortion."  Appalled, the family refused.  Right at the beginning of 1974, 40 years ago, as a result of their willingness to sacrifice their own finances, time, and even health for the life of another, I was born.

That was the first of many testimonies to me to what it means to be a disciple of Christ.  I am who I am because an awful lot of people have been willing to suffer for my good.  In that, they follow the example of Christ Himself, willing to suffer the wrath and curse of God for my salvation.  I have been greatly blessed in my life, by the grace of God, and that decision that my parents made was just one example of that.  I just would not even be able to name all of the people in my life who have done good for me, often at costs that I didn't appreciate for many years after.  Many of them never received any thanks or recognition from me.  I am sure that I am not even aware of many of those people, many of those sacrifices.  And they all flow from that One Sacrifice, the lamb who was slain for the sins of the world.

I will celebrate my 40th birthday in two days.  I thank God for my life, for what He has given me and continues to give me, and I pray that God would teach me grace, teach me to take up my cross for others, that I might learn this year a little bit more what it means to die to self and live for God, as so many before me have done.