Such a big word…such a huge meaning. And it ties into love so beautifully.
God’s love for us – sacrificial. A mother’s love for her child – sacrificial. A soldier’s love for his country – sacrificial. It costs something. It forces us to surrender.
That’s the part of sacrificial love that is scary for a parent – the surrender. The letting go.
At the end of the series finale of Gilmore Girls, Lorelai nervously rattles off advice to her daughter Rory as she prepares to go out into the big world, and Rory stops her and says, “Mom. You’ve given me everything I need.” (Tears.)
I hope my children say that to me one day. I will be joyful and proud on the day they are ready to embark on their journeys on their own. I know I’ll be sad, too. That’s the sacrifice – giving up what you want for the sake of what they need. I just hope that I’ve learned enough about sacrificial love to put it into practice in my own life.
What if she makes choices I don’t like? What if she decides to move far away from home?
What if he joins the military? What if I have to let him go off to war and wonder where he is every single second of the day, wonder if he’s safe?
Will I be able to sacrifice well? Will I be able to squelch the part of me that says, “Stay with me. Be my baby forever”?
I’ll have to because I want them to live, and live well.
After all, that’s the point of this life, isn’t it? To love each other wholly and unselfishly. To learn what it means to love in an unfailingly unconditional way, the way that God loves us.
On this Good Friday, I’m remembering that He loves us all – whether we return that love or not, whether we want it or not, whether we deserve it or not – and that is the way we should strive to love each other.
That is what I want out of life - a lifetime of living lavishly in love.
(Try saying that five times fast.)
