My Learning Today – 3rd September : ONLY SACRIFICE CAN AVERT THE PLAGUE

I am not sure if King David had another war to fight, because it was not stated. But I read that God was angry with Israel, so He incited David to take a census of Judah and Israel and enrol the fighting men.

Now, this was the same David praised in Scripture, Saul killed thousands, but David tens of thousands. When did statistics (the number of fighting men) suddenly become more important than trust in God, who had been guiding them to victory irrespective of numbers?

Scripture records that David was incited to do wrong because God was angry. Please don’t ask me what David did oh 😊 but I am certain he did not take another soldier’s wife this time 😊.

Not long after, the prophet Gad visited David. David already knew he had sinned, and Gad told him to choose his punishment. Wise David chose God’s punishment over man’s. (If you think he was wrong, try remembering a time when someone decided to “deal with you.” If men were gods… hmmm 😅).

Even with mercy, the punishment was great, 70,000 people died in a plague until God decided to show compassion after David’s plea.

To avert the plague, David was told to build an altar and make sacrifices. Someone offered him free land and even the articles for the sacrifice, but David said:

“I will not offer anything to God anything that costs me nothing.”

Immediately after the offering and sacrifice, the plague stopped.

After reading this, I looked up the word sacrifice. Grok.com defined it simply:

“Sacrifice means giving up something you value—like time, money, or comfort—to help others or achieve a greater goal.”

And the truth is this: nothing worthwhile can be built without sacrifice.

While writing, I thought about my family, our business, our country Nigeria, our church choir, and associations I belong to. The answer to progress was evident: SACRIFICE.

If you do not give up some of your time, money, or comfort, you cannot raise children better than yourself. You cannot provide for your family. Our businesses won’t grow. Nigeria will continue to under-develop.

I hope this makes sense to you, even though I know you may have always known it:

Progress takes SACRIFICE. And there is no place for ME or SELF when sacrifice is truly required.

Shalom.

What sacrifice are you making today for your family, business, or country? Share in the comments or join the conversation on www.askchuka.com

👉🏾 Read my earlier reflection on The Value of Friendship and Loyalty

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