Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, March 11, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Sacrifice is fruitful. I’m not saying we need to die as Jesus did in order for the world to be transformed (although many courageous people have throughout history). But when we are willing to put others’ needs before our own desires or comfort, we can bring something positive into being. It’s a silly little example, but when my son wakes me up because my adult daughter is having a “crisis” at 10 pm and I’ve just fallen asleep and will I please turn on my phone, I am willing to give up my sleep (temporarily) in order to be there for her while she processes, and offer her a listening ear and affirmation. When I do this without judgment, she is able to re-regulate and return to being her old self—smart, funny, loving—and bring her own positivity into the world. Like I said, it’s a silly example, but if something so simple can be transformative, imagine what a willingness to sacrifice on a larger scale could accomplish?
When have I sacrificed for the greater good? What was the result?