But it is still a viable part of God’s plan for the last days. The more Christians accept the necessity for personal sacrifice, the easier the transition will be.
One reference of God’s will concerning sacrifice is found in Luke 3:11, “And he would answer and say to them, ‘Let the man who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise,’” Christ considered this a minimum sacrifice for those who wised to follow Him—to give, not out of our needs, but from our wants and desires.
His promise for those making sacrifices can be found in Mark 10:29, “Jesus said, ‘Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the world to come, eternal life.’”
Christ gave us another reference point when He was standing in the Temple, observing the Jews as they came by giving their gifts to the treasury. “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a certain poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them, for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on” (Luke 21:14).
It is interesting how sacrifice works. Christ said that she put in more than all the rest, and yet, it was only two small copper coins. This widow wasn’t giving to impress others. Obviously the Temple didn’t need her pennies, for it was plated with gold and brass, within and without. Nor did she give from her abundance. She gave all that she had because she loved God and obviously felt a bigger need than that of food. She felt the need to sacrifice for God.
Sacrifice is an essential attitude for every Christian to adopt. Begin to sacrifice a small portion from your wants or desires for the needs of others. Ask God to lay their needs on your heart. Strive to reflect a difference outside equivalent to the commitment that is inside.