Sacrifice

I watched the movie "Beautiful Creatures" (2013) the other night and was impressed with the sermon the Reverend Stephens character gave to his congregation. It's not a religious sermon, but one that makes so much sense. We all sacrifice at one time or another. We do it because there is a need and we care enough to put others' needs first, instead of our own. 

Here is the speech from the movie: 

Reverend Stephens:                                                                                                    

“I don't want to preach today, instead I just wanna talk to you, about a word we don't hear much anymore. Sacrifice. It's not what I would call a modern word. People hear the word sacrifice, and they become afraid that something will be taken away from them or that they will have to give up something they couldn't live without. Sacrifice, to them, means loss in a world telling us we could have it all. But I believe true sacrifice is a victory. That's because it requires free will to give up something for someone you love, or something or someone you love more than yourself. I won't lie to you. It's a gamble. Sacrifice won’t take away pain and loss, but it wins the battle against bitterness, the bitterness that dims the light on all of the true value in our lives."

Philippians 2:3,4: "3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."