Living Sacrifice

I am not trying to get all high and mighty in this blog, but it is something that I am struggling with and it just popped into my brain. My husband told me that he was just watching "Schindler's List" and he had forgotten how moving the film was to him. I remarked to him that the thing that stayed with me is the scene at the end of the film when Oscar Schindler is crying because he felt that he didn't do enough. I remember that he said that his car could have saved 20 more people and that his coat could have saved 3 more people. This is extremely powerful to me.

This reminds me of the example that Christ has laid out before us, that we should be a living sacrifice. And sacrifice means that it is gonna hurt. That we should give until it hurts. This is something I struggle with daily. When I am really wanting something I am always thinking that maybe I shouldn't spend the money on what I want and instead I should be giving it to charity. The new purse I want would feed a family for two weeks. Those shoes, another two weeks, and a new dishwasher, a whole month. Of course, most time I end up rationalizing my wants and end up getting them.

Don't get me wrong, I give to charity (not 10% though). I donate old clothes to Goodwill and old household goods. I clean out my pantry and give it to the food bank. I have even driven for Meals on Wheels. But this has never hurt me or really cost me anything. Does it hurt to give away old clothes? No, it's usually great because it clears the way for new ones. Like I said, I am not trying to get all high and mighty. It's just something that has been plaguing me and I'm not quite sure what to do about it. Perhaps it's just good old fashioned Catholic guilt.

Or perhaps I have it all wrong. Maybe it doesn't have to hurt to still be a good thing. Maybe it shouldn't have to be a grandiose gesture of supreme selflessness to make a difference. Maybe I am just crazy.

But wouldn't the world be a fantastic place to live if we all gave until it hurt?