Sacrifice
Twice this week I've been "inconvenienced" (for lack of a better word) -- each time by a different person. Both times I decided to keep quiet and not say anything to the person concerned about the difficulties their actions/decisions caused me. In one instance it was quite a minor matter, although I still felt annoyed; in the other it was a big enough issue to cause me some concern.
I kept quiet because, circumstances being what they were in each case, nothing would have changed had I decided to protest the "inconvenience" to myself. So I decided to view it as a sacrifice and do whatever I needed to do with a willing heart.
It made me think about this thing called sacrifice. What if similar situations were to happen over and over again, and I had to sacrifice my convenience again and again? Would that make me a doormat? Wouldn't that give others an opportunity to take advantage of me? Should I have said something to the persons concerned and stood up for myself? In the long run, would I start to get more and more irritated that the sacrifice is always only on my side and that others seem to be taking me for granted?
Sacrificing doesn't sound like a very smart thing to do. In fact, it seems downright wimpy sometimes. But in the Christian worldview, sacrifice is a good thing. I mean, God sacrificed Jesus to suffer and die in our place. We, who have done wrong, get to escape scot-free because Jesus took our punishment instead. Hmmm. Doesn't sound so spineless after all.
Of course, if I were to derive an advantage from someone else's sacrifice, I wouldn't think of it as a bad thing. What about when it's MY turn to sacrifice, though?
I dunno... logic says I must protect myself and not let people keep "inconveniencing" me. I mustn't allow myself to "lose out" in any way. But my "Christian instincts" (if there is even such a thing, lol) seem to say that if I can help someone or make a difference in a situation then I ought to willingly sacrifice my own convenience. Especially if it's a minor matter... why make a fuss or be so calculative? And the fact that I have a problem saying "no" to people doesn't help!