What sacrifices are we willing to make for others, as in Galatians 4:15? Galatians 4:15—A Snapshot of Costly Love “ What then has become of your blessing? For I testify that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.” • Paul recalls a moment when the Galatians were so grateful for the gospel that they would have surrendered even their eyesight—an essential, irreplaceable gift. • The statement is not hyperbole but a literal measure of their former devotion. Why Eyes? Grasping the Depth of the Offer • Eyes represent vision, guidance, livelihood, and beauty—virtually everything a person depends on daily. • By offering them, the Galatians showed they valued Paul’s well-being and the gospel he carried above their own comfort, ability, and future. Scripture Echoes of Similar Sacrifice • John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” • Philippians 2:3-8 – Christ “emptied Himself” and “became obedient to death.” • Romans 12:1 – “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” • 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 – the Macedonians gave “beyond their ability” out of joy. • 1 John 3:16-18 – “Let us not love in word or speech but in action and truth.” Practical Expressions of Sacrificial Love Today • Time: rearranging schedules to sit with someone in crisis, teach a child, or visit the lonely. • Comfort: inviting the difficult neighbor to dinner, opening the home to foster or adopt. • Finances: budgeting deliberately so another believer can attend seminary, a missionary can stay on the field, or a struggling single parent can keep the lights on. • Reputation: standing beside a slandered brother or sister even when it costs social capital. • Career opportunities: turning down a promotion that would uproot a spouse’s ministry or destabilize children spiritually. • Personal dreams: choosing singleness or a simpler lifestyle to maximize gospel flexibility. Guardrails That Keep Sacrifice Faithful, Not Foolish • Alignment with Scripture: sacrifices never contradict God’s moral commands (Matthew 22:37-40). • Responsibility balance: providing for family (1 Timothy 5:8) while blessing others. • Prayerful counsel: wise believers help discern when a “good” sacrifice may actually enable irresponsibility or sin (Proverbs 15:22). Motivations That Keep the Heart Warm • Gratitude for Christ’s ultimate sacrifice (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). • Joy in reflecting God’s generous character (Ephesians 5:1-2). • Eternal perspective: treasure laid up in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). • Love for the body of Christ, recognizing we are members of one another (Ephesians 4:25). Living Out Galatians 4:15 This Week • Identify one costly gift—time, resource, convenience—you can deliberately place on the altar for someone else’s spiritual or physical good. • Remember: sacrificial love is not measured by what remains comfortable, but by what we willingly lay down because the gospel and people’s souls matter more. |