College Essay: My Parents’ Sacrifice Makes Me Strong

Rosemary Santos

After living in Texas briefly, my mom moved in with my aunt in Minnesota, where she helped raise my cousins while my aunt and uncle worked. My mom still glances to the building where she first lived. I think it’s amazing how she first moved here, she lived in a small apartment and now owns a house. 

My dad’s family was poor. He dropped out of elementary school to work. My dad was the only son my grandpa had. My dad thought he was responsible to help his family out, so he decided to leave for Minnesota   because  of  many  work opportunities .   

My parents met working in cleaning at the IDS  C enter during night shifts. I am their only child, and their main priority was not leaving me alone while they worked. My mom left her cleaning job to work mornings at a warehouse. My dad continued his job in cleaning at night.   

My dad would get me ready for school and walked me to the bus stop while waiting in the cold. When I arrived home from school, my dad had dinner prepared and the house cleaned. I would eat with him at the table while watching TV, but he left after to pick up my mom from work.   

My mom would get home in the afternoon. Most memories of my mom are watching her lying down on the couch watching her  n ovelas  –  S panish soap operas  – a nd falling asleep in the living room. I knew her job was physically tiring, so I didn’t bother her.  

Seeing my parents work hard and challenge Mexican customs influence my values today as a person. As a child, my dad cooked and cleaned, to help out my mom, which is rare in Mexican culture. Conservative Mexicans believe men are superior to women; women are seen as housewives who cook, clean and obey their husbands. My parents constantly tell me I should get an education to never depend on a man. My family challenged  machismo , Mexican sexism, by creating their own values and future.  

My parents encouraged me to, “ ponte  las  pilas ” in school, which translates to “put on your batteries” in English. It means that I should put in effort and work into achieving my goal. I was taught that school is the key object in life. I stay up late to complete all my homework assignments, because of this I miss a good amount of sleep, but I’m willing to put in effort to have good grades that will benefit me. I have softball practice right after school, so I try to do nearly all of my homework ahead of time, so I won’t end up behind.  

My parents taught me to set high standards for myself. My school operates on a 4.0-scale. During lunch, my friends talked joyfully about earning a 3.25 on a test. When I earn less than a 4.25, I feel disappointed. My friends reacted with, “You should be happy. You’re extra . ” Hearing that phrase flashbacks to my parents seeing my grades. My mom would pressure me to do better when I don’t earn all 4.0s  

Every once in  awhile , I struggled with following their value of education. It can be difficult to balance school, sports and life. My parents think I’m too young to complain about life. They don’t think I’m tired, because I don’t physically work, but don’t understand that I’m mentally tired and stressed out. It’s hard for them to understand this because they didn’t have the experience of going to school.   

The way I could thank my parents for their sacrifice is accomplishing their American dream by going to college and graduating to have a professional career. I visualize the day I graduate college with my degree, so my  family  celebrates by having a carne  asada (BBQ) in the yard. All my friends, relatives, and family friends would be there to congratulate me on my accomplishments.  

As teenagers, my parents worked hard manual labor jobs to be able to provide for themselves and their family. Both of them woke up early in the morning to head to work. Staying up late to earn extra cash. As teenagers, my parents tried going to school here in the U.S .  but weren’t able to, so they continued to work. Early in the morning now, my dad arrives home from work at 2:30 a.m .,  wakes up to drop me off at school around 7:30 a.m . , so I can focus on studying hard to earn good grades. My parents want me to stay in school and not prefer work to  head on their  same path as them. Their struggle influences me to have a good work ethic in school and go against the odds.  

a father's sacrifice essay

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How My Father's Sacrifices For My Family Inspire Me Every Day

A little over a month ago, I departed for my very first trip to the Philippines with my mother, father and sister.

This had been a long-anticipated trip for many years, and it had always seemed nearly impossible due to our constant conflict in schedules, finances and overall lack of planning.

However, 24 years later, it finally happened.

Both of my parents emigrated from the Philippines to America in the 1970s. Leaving everything they knew behind – their home, their culture and their families – they embarked on a journey that changed their lives forever.

Until now, I had never truly appreciated everything my parents did for me. I never realized the struggles they had to overcome and the sacrifices they had to make in order to provide a better life for our family.

My father has always been the strong, silent type when it comes to dealing with his issues. Like any man, he doesn't want to be bothered with the drama. Instead, he would cope on his own. He didn’t like to show too much emotion whenever he was upset.

Being the little fire-starter I was, I always pushed his buttons. I picked fights with him, especially when I knew he was already in a bad mood. We were similar.

Yet, I never thought about the weight he had to carry all these years. I didn't truly understand until I went to the Philippines.

When my mother and father immigrated to the US, they came separately. My mother came first, and her entire family (seven siblings and parents) immediately followed.

Then, my father came with his mother. To his dismay, his siblings (also seven) were unable to come as easily as my mother’s siblings did. And so, he made the sacrifice and had to leave them behind.

For years, my father attempted to bring his siblings to America. In 1994, my grandmother passed away, and that was the last time my father ever went back to the Philippines.

He buried my grandmother in her home country. After that, the fight to bring his family to America diminished. He had to raise a family of his own.

Twenty years flew by before my father was able to go back to the Philippines. It was twenty years of not spending a single day with any of his siblings. It was twenty years of memories he had missed out on.

It was twenty years until he finally brought me, my mother and my sister back home.

After we landed at the airport, I watched my father reunite with his siblings. I saw him fill up with joy and laughter, and he even shed a few tears. And this brought tears to my eyes, as well.

I finally was able to comprehend the sacrifice he had made for us, for his family.

Throughout my entire life, I never thought about how difficult it was (and still is) for them. I never thought about who my parents were before they became parents. Now that I look back on it, I am finally able to see the bigger picture.

I could never imagine making the sacrifice my father had made for me and my family. I could never imagine leaving everything and everyone I knew behind. Yet, somehow he did it.

I’ll never really understand until I become a parent myself, but for now, I can say my father has been my motivation and role model for the kind of parent I hope to someday become.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad.

a father's sacrifice essay

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Essay on My Parents Sacrifice For Me

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Parents Sacrifice For Me in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Parents Sacrifice For Me

My parents’ love.

My parents show their love by giving up things for me. They work hard every day to make sure I have food, clothes, and a good home. They often skip buying new things for themselves so that I can have what I need for school and play.

Education First

They want me to learn and grow. To help me get a good education, they spend money on books and classes, even when it means they can’t spend on things they like. They believe learning is more important than fancy stuff.

Health and Happiness

My mom and dad also make sure I’m healthy. If I’m sick, they take care of me, even if they’re tired or not feeling well themselves. They give up rest and time to make me smile.

Time Together

Even when they are busy, they find time to play with me and help me with homework. They could be relaxing or hanging out with friends, but they choose to be with me because they love me.

250 Words Essay on My Parents Sacrifice For Me

The gift of time, hard work for my future.

My mom and dad work really hard to earn money so that I can go to a good school and have nice clothes and toys. Sometimes they do extra jobs on weekends. They want to make sure I have a better life and can achieve my dreams, which is why they work even when they are already tired.

Putting My Needs First

When we go shopping, my parents often buy things for me instead of for themselves. If there is enough money for either a new dress for mom or a book for me, they choose the book. They want to make sure I have everything I need to be happy and successful.

Emotional Support

Whenever I feel sad or have a problem, my parents are there to listen and comfort me. They give me advice and help me feel better. Their love and care help me grow up feeling safe and loved.

In these ways and many more, my parents sacrifice for me. They give up their time, work hard, put my needs first, and support me emotionally. I am thankful for their love and everything they do for me.

500 Words Essay on My Parents Sacrifice For Me

My parents’ endless support.

When I think about all the things my parents do for me, I feel a warm sense of gratitude. Their sacrifices are like invisible threads that hold the fabric of our family together. From the early morning till late at night, they work hard to make sure I have everything I need to be happy and successful.

Working Hard Every Day

Giving up their comfort.

I remember times when my parents have given up their own comfort for me. If there’s only enough money for one thing, they will always choose to spend it on something I need, like new shoes for school, rather than something for themselves. They miss out on sleep if I’m sick at night, staying by my side until I feel better. They skip going out with friends to be at my school events and cheer for me. These are the little sacrifices that show their love.

Putting My Education First

Education is very important to my parents. They believe it’s the key to a good future. They always make sure I have a quiet place to study and encourage me to work hard. They attend parent-teacher meetings and talk to my teachers about how I can improve. Even though they might have had a long day, they still take time to help me with my studies.

Teaching Me Right from Wrong

Planning for the future.

My parents are always thinking ahead. They save money for my future education and for any emergencies that might come up. They talk about what I want to be when I grow up and help me understand what I need to do to reach my goals. They want to make sure I can follow my dreams, whatever they may be.

In conclusion, my parents make a lot of sacrifices for me. They work hard, give up their comfort, put my education first, teach me important life lessons, and plan for my future. They do all this without expecting anything in return, just because they love me. I am very thankful for their love and support. It’s because of their sacrifices that I have the chance to grow, learn, and someday, make them proud.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Personal Experience — My Personal Story of the Sacrifices Made by My Parent in Order to Give Me a Good Education

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My Personal Story of The Sacrifices Made by My Parent in Order to Give Me a Good Education

  • Categories: Personal Experience Sacrifices

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Published: Mar 14, 2019

Words: 1254 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

Works Cited

  • Chen, D. (2018). Taiwanese American Families: Transnational Families and Identity. In Transnational Families, Migration and the Circulation of Care (pp. 99-117). Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Liu, W. M., Lee, R. M., & Negi, N. J. (2019). Asian American fathers: A systematic review of the literature. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 20(2), 258-272.
  • Tsai, J. L., Louie, V. S., Chen, A. J., & Uchida, Y. (2007). Learning what feelings to desire: Socialization of ideal affect through children's storybooks. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33(1), 17-30.
  • Lee, M. (2015). Exploring the role of culture in fathering: Perspectives of Asian immigrant fathers. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 24(2), 122-136.
  • AirlineGeeks.com. (n.d.). Cathay Pacific. Retrieved from https://airlinegeeks.com/airline/cathay-pacific/
  • Cathay Pacific Airways. (n.d.). Our Fleet. Retrieved from https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_US/flying-with-us/our-fleet.html
  • Smith, A. (2022). The Cockpit: The Craftsmanship of Flying. Random House.
  • Federal Aviation Administration. (n.d.). Becoming a Pilot. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/
  • Planes of Fame Air Museum. (n.d.). About. Retrieved from https://planesoffame.org/about/
  • Manning, D. (2017). Flying Free: A Memoir. HarperCollins.

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a father's sacrifice essay

Sacrifice: An Unexpected Answer to Family Challenges

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"In this world, it is not what we take up, but what we give up that makes us rich." –Henry Ward Beecher

Michael Ruse and Julie Dodger had been engaged for six months, but the closer they got to the wedding, the more concerned they were about the marriage. Julie was willing to move to a new location, and Michael was willing to attend all of her family gatherings. When they did the math, it should have worked out. But according to Julie, Michael didn’t earn enough, didn’t listen well enough, and didn’t compromise. And according to Michael, Julie was intolerant, disorganized, and high maintenance. They worried that their differences were irreconcilable.

Through discussion, Michael and Julie came to realize that although their problems were very real, their strengths were real as well, and they showed those strengths best when they sacrificed for one another. Julie felt like it was easier to appreciate Michael when she cleaned her apartment for him and when she forgave his imperfections, and Michael knew from experience that his love for Julie grew when he sacrificed his evening sports show to hear about her day. By focusing on sacrificing for each another, the couple gained the courage to move forward in their relationship. They learned that mutual love grows as we serve and sacrifice for each other.

A Contrary Culture

The couple was surprised at first that a simple principle like sacrifice provided a solution to their problems. We can understand their skepticism. American culture doesn’t value sacrifice as much as it values individuality. Self-care and science are the songs of our day, not sacrifice!

But perhaps what we need is the simple reminder of the truth spoken by Jesus: “[H]e that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39).

The Great Paradox

There is a certain inevitability that as one struggles to foster someone else’s growth, one’s own growth, in one way or another, is also fostered. –Dag Hammarskjold 1

Sacrifice is a willingness to “forego immediate self-interest to promote the well-being of a partner or relationship”. 10 We frequently see this kind of sacrifice in family relationships. Consider these examples:

Parenting Relationships : A new mother sacrifices much-needed sleep in order to feed her hungry infant.

In the case of childrearing, sacrifice is not just a nicety—it is a necessity. The Family: A Proclamation to the World describes some important parental sacrifices:

Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

Marriage Relationships: A husband sacrifices his weekend plans with friends to take his wife on a date.

Marriage requires a lot of sacrifice. Fortunately, sacrifice is easier for people who are united. “For those individuals who have a strong sense of couple identity..., and are therefore more interested in the well-being of the couple unit than their own individual gains, it is theorized that acts of sacrifice will be easier because they do not feel like they are as much of a sacrifice”. 11 When a couple feels committed and unified, sacrifice is a blessing rather than a burden.

Family Relationships: A child sacrifices his lunch money for his younger sister when she forgets hers.

Children benefit from the sacrificial examples of their parents. As recipients of their parents’ sacrifices, they also learn how to sacrifice. In this way, sacrifice makes it more likely for family members to reciprocate good behaviors. The result is a more generous, hospitable home atmosphere.

A Responsibility and a Reward

Sacrifice is so common in family life that we often fail to notice it. Sacrifice can be active (doing something against your own inclination in order to please someone you love) or passive (not doing something that you’d like to do in order to please someone you love). It may seem costly at times, but sacrifice is a gift with many rewards.

Research shows that greater sacrifice leads to happier, longer-lasting relationships. Scholars include it with other “transformative processes” like forgiveness, commitment, and sanctification. Though the reasons why sacrifice is so important to families have not all been identified, some researchers have noted that “sacrifice has surplus value, yielding positive consequences for the partner above and beyond any direct impact on experienced outcomes”. 10 Rather than leaving us empty, sacrifice actually makes us full.

Motive Matters

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity . . . ( 2 Corinthians 9:7 ).

Not all sacrifice is created equally. People can sacrifice with two types of motives:

Approach motives seek to obtain positive outcomes. For example, a man could buy flowers for his wife because he loves her and wants her to be happy.

Avoidance motives seek to avoid negative outcomes. For example, the same man could buy flowers for his wife for Valentine’s Day because he knows that she would be mad if he didn’t.

Research shows that approach motives are better than avoidance motives. It’s easy to see why. The man who buys flowers for his wife because he loves her will be happy about the gift. He’ll probably feel like a better husband, and he will be confident that his wife will return the affection that he feels for her. In contrast, the man who buys flowers for his wife to avoid her wrath probably feels a little stressed, having to tiptoe around her. He might be mad about the money that it costs, and he will expect her to be ungrateful or undeserving of the gift. Rather than bringing the couple together, sacrificing with avoidance motives has the potential to drive them further apart. Giving sacrifice willingly (with approach motives) is far more beneficial than giving grudgingly.

Learning to Sacrifice

Learning to sacrifice is more than a to-do list. Since motivation matters, sacrifice must be delivered with an attitude of love and appreciation. It is less of an action than it is a process of becoming. So although the following suggestions may help, remember that sacrificing requires a change of heart, and not just a change of behavior:

Sacrificial Speech: Sometimes sacrifice means biting your tongue. When your partner or child makes a negative remark, don’t respond unkindly. Instead, select a calm and caring reply. This is called accommodation or editing.

Sacrificial Stance: Researchers recommend that rather than focusing on how our family members can change, we should shift our attention to something that we have more control over, such as how we can bless them. In the spirit of President John F Kennedy, we ask not “what can this person do for me?” but “what can I do for this person?”

Sacrificial Sight: Change your heart by changing your perspective. Researchers suggest that we should focus on the things that we want to create in our relationships rather than things that we want to avoid. See family members’ needs and interests as important as your own, and notice their strengths rather than their weaknesses.

Sacrificial Savoir-Faire: Savoir-faire is the ability to act with grace and tact. Sometimes this requires sacrifice. Choose your battles wisely and be willing to set aside personal interests when they conflict with couple or family well-being.

Written by Jenny Stewart, Research Assistant, edited by Justin Dyer and Stephen F. Duncan, professors in the School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.

  • Bahr, H. S. (2001). Families and self-sacrifice: Alternative models and meanings for family theory. Social Forces, 79(4), 1231-1258.
  • Burr, W. R., Marks, L. D., Day, R. D. (2012). Sacred matters: Religion and spirituality in families. New York, NY: Routledge.
  • Cherlin, A. J. (2004). The deinstitutionalization of American marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family , 66(4), 848-861.
  • Fincham, F. D., Stanley, S. M., Beach, S. R H. (2007). Transformative processes in marriage: An analysis of emerging trends. Journal of Marriage and Family , 69, 275-292.
  • Fowers, B. J. (2000). Beyond the myth of marital happiness: How embracing the virtues of loyalty, generosity, justice, and courage can strengthen your relationship . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Hinckley, G. B. (1971, June). Except the Lord build the house . Ensign.
  • Impett, E. A., Gable, S. L., & Peplau, L. (2005). Giving up and giving in: The costs and benefits of daily sacrifice in intimate relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89(3), 327-344.
  • Pargament, K., Zinnbauer, B., Scott, A., Butter, E., Zerowin, J., & Stanik, P. (1998). Red flags and religious coping: Identifying some religious warning signs among people in crisis. Journal of Clinical Psychology , 54(1), 77-89.
  • Stanley, S. M., Whitton, S. W., Sadberry, S. L., Clements, M. L., Markman, H. J. (2006). Sacrifice as a predictor of marital outcomes. Family Process , 45, 289-303.
  • Van Lange, P. M., Rusbult, C. E., Drigotas, S. M., Arriaga, X. B., Witcher, B. S., & Cox, C. L. (1997). Willingness to sacrifice in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 72(6), 1373-1395.
  • Whitton, S., Stanley, S., & Markman, H. (2002). Sacrifice in romantic relationships: An exploration of relevant research and theory. In A. L. Vangelisti, H. T. Reis, & M. A. Fitzpatrick (Eds.), Stability and change in relationships (pp. 156-182). Cambridge, UK: University Press.

The popular and professional literature seems to miss the real sources of strength in marriage: the shared goals, the necessary struggles and sacrifices, the calm joy of teamwork, and the comfort in two people carrying out mundane tasks together. All of these elements forge the profound bonds that characterize strong marriage. –Blaine Fowers, Beyond the Myth of Marital HappinessMichael and Julie’s experience illustrates that sacrifice can be a positive influence in family life. The couple was surprised at first that a simple principle like sacrifice provided a solution to their problems. We can understand their skepticism. American culture doesn’t value sacrifice as much as it values individuality. Society places such a large emphasis on self-fulfillment and independence that scholars call modern marriage the “individualized” marriage. 3 Although individuality isn’t necessarily bad, too much focus on self can lead us to forget about sacrificing for others, which leads to families being less effective. In addition, sacrifice is usually seen as a religious rather than an academic principle. Self-care and science are the songs of our day, not sacrifice! But things are changing, and sacrifice is gaining importance in the academic world. It came onto the scene almost by accident. In 1998, a team of researchers discovered that sacrifice has positive outcomes. People who sacrifice are happier and have a better outlook on life. 8 Although it may seem strange that giving oneself away makes a person happier, both research and religion teach us that this is true. In Christian tradition, we are most familiar with the words of Jesus: “[H]e that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39).

The Sacrifice Paradox

There is a certain inevitability that as one struggles to foster someone else’s growth, one’s own growth, in one way or another, is also fostered. –Dag Hammarskjold 1 Sacrifice is a “willingness to forego immediate self-interest to promote the well-being of a partner or relationship”. 10 We often see this kind of behavior family relationships. For example, a new mother sacrifices sleep to feed her baby. A husband sacrifices his weekend plans with friends to take his wife on a date. Or a child sacrifices his lunch money for his younger sister when she forgets hers. Sacrifice is so common in family life that we sometimes fail to notice it.

Sacrifice can be active (doing something for someone you love) or passive (not doing something in order to please someone you love). Scholars call sacrifice a “transformation of motivation” because it changes how we relate to others. We replace self-interested desires with concern for the people we are with. 7 Rather than leaving us empty, sacrifice actually makes us full.

Research shows that greater sacrifice leads to happier, longer-lasting relationships. 10,9 Scholars include it with other “transformative processes” like forgiveness, commitment, and sanctification. 4 Though the reasons why sacrifice is so important to families have not all been identified, some researchers have noted that “sacrifice has surplus value, yielding positive consequences for the partner above and beyond any direct impact on experienced outcomes”. 10 However it works, it is obvious that it does work!

Family relationships provide countless opportunities to sacrifice. Parenting, in particular, requires more sacrifice than most relationships. In the case of childrearing, sacrifice is not just a nicety—it is a necessity. The Family: A Proclamation to the World describes some important parental sacrifices:Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.Husbands and wives have important responsibilities to each other and to their children. Fortunately, sacrifice is easier when spouses are unified. “For those individuals who have a strong sense of couple identity . . . and are therefore more interested in the well-being of the couple unit than their own individual gains, it is theorized that acts of sacrifice will be easier because they do not feel like they are as much of a sacrifice”. 11 Mature individuals realize that caring for one’s spouse is actually to one’s own benefit because doing so fulfills a deep human need to belong and to nurture. Sacrifice thus becomes a blessing rather than a burden.Children benefit from the sacrificial examples of their parents. As recipients of their parents’ sacrifices, they learn how to sacrifice in return. In this way, sacrifice makes it more likely for family members to reciprocate good behaviors. The result is a more generous, hospitable home atmosphere. 11

To care about someone . . . means devoting them to the person and taking joy in doing so; in the end, one feels richer for one’s efforts, not poorer. –Tzvetan Todorov. 1 Not all sacrifice is created equally. Researchers often categorize sacrificial behaviors as having one of two motives: 7

Approach motives seek to obtain positive outcomes. We call them “approach motives” or “appetitive motives” because the purpose of sacrifice is to gain a reward. For example, a man could buy flowers for his wife because he loves her and wants her to be happy. He is using approach motives because he is seeking the reward of his wife’s happiness and well-being.

Avoidance motives seek to avoid negative outcomes. Avoidance motives (or “aversive motives”) are so-named because the goal is to avoid some sort of punishment. For example, the same man could buy flowers for his wife for Valentine’s Day because he knows that she will be mad if he doesn’t. He exemplifies avoidance motives because he is seeking to avoid her anger.

Research shows that approach motives are better than avoidance motives. 7 It’s easy to see why. The man who buys flowers for his wife because he loves her will be happy about the gift. He’ll probably feel like a better husband, and he will be confident that his wife will return the affection that he feels for her. In contrast, the man who buys flowers for his wife to avoid her wrath probably feels a little stressed, having to tiptoe around her. He might be mad about the money that it costs, and he will expect her to be ungrateful or undeserving of the gift. Rather than bringing the couple together, sacrificing with avoidance motives has the potential to drive them further apart.

Emily Impett and her colleagues did a study to show the importance of sacrificing for the right reasons. They asked 161 college students to keep a daily journal. For two weeks, students wrote about their romantic relationships and their sacrificial behaviors, including whether or not they were sacrificing for avoidance or approach reasons. The results were impressive:

“On days when participants sacrificed for avoidance motives, they experienced more negative emotions, lower satisfaction with life, less positive relationship well-being, and more relationship conflict…Further, the more often participants sacrificed for avoidance motives over the course of the 2-week study, the less satisfied they were and the more likely they were to have broken up 1 month later…” . 7

Impett’s findings echo a common theme in the Bible: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity” ( 2 Corinthians 9:7 ). Given grudgingly, sacrifice doesn’t benefit the giver or the receiver nearly as much as when it is given willingly. 10 Approach motives and avoidance motives boil down to the principle of sincerity. Approach motives tend to be sincere, while avoidance motives tend to be insincere. Sincere, heartfelt sacrifice benefits both the giver and the receiver. Author Philip Hallie helped explain why sincerity is prerequisite to sacrifice:

[There is a fundamental distinction] between giving things and giving oneself. When you give somebody a thing without giving yourself, you degrade both parties. But when you give yourself, nobody is degraded . . . both parties are elevated by a shared joy. When you give yourself, the things you are giving become . . . féconde (fertile, fruitful). What you give creates new, vigorous life”. 1

Rather than feeling degraded or used when they sacrifice, people who sacrifice with approach motives (sincerely trying to bless someone else) actually feel like beneficiaries. They profit from the possibility of reciprocation, from feeling needed and useful, and from growing to know what is needed and how to meet those needs. 1

To Make Sacred

Sacrifice has found acceptance in academics, but it is also an important religious principle. The roots of the word sacrifice literally mean “to make sacred”. 2 A team of Brigham Young University scholars explored the link between sacrifice and sacredness. They found that “perceiving parts of family life to be sacred gives them a unique, unusually powerful, and salient influence in families… [Thus] the greater the sacredness of sacrificing, the more unique, powerful, and salient the effects of the sacrificing are on other family processes and valued family outcomes”. 2

So, for people who believe that sacrifice is a sacred principle (of special, even transcendent, significance), sacrifice in family life may be more meaningful. For example, the man who believes that fatherhood is a divine duty will probably be more willing to sacrifice work hours for time with his children than the man who thinks little of his fathering efforts. When sacrifices made in the home are considered sacred, we expect individuals and families to sacrifice more often and with purer motives, leading to better family outcomes. We thus recommend that couples and families view sacrifice from a sacred lens, and see family life as directly benefited by religious beliefs.

  • Sacrificial Speech: Sometimes sacrifice means biting your tongue. When your partner or child makes a negative remark, don’t respond unkindly. Instead, select a calm and caring reply. This is called accommodation or editing. 1
  • Sacrificial Stance: Researchers recommend that rather than focusing on how our family members can change, we should shift our attention to something that we have more control over, such as how we can bless them. 9 In the spirit of President John F Kennedy, we ask not “what can this person do for me?” but “what can I do for this person?”
  • Sacrificial Sight: Change your heart by changing your perspective. Researchers suggest that we should focus on the things that we want to create in our relationships rather than things that we want to avoid. 7 See family members’ needs and interests as important as your own 1 , and notice their strengths rather than their weaknesses.
  • Sacrificial Savoir-Faire: Savoir-faire is the ability to act with grace and tact. Sometimes this requires sacrifice. Choose your battles wisely and be willing to set aside personal interests when they conflict with couple or family well-being. 10

Word of Warning

Sacrifice is wonderful for families, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Research says that sacrifice is most helpful when it is voluntary, when it is given in moderation, when it is reciprocated (given in return), and when it is accompanied by commitment. 9 Sacrifice could easily become harmful if given in the wrong ways. Consider the following circumstances and note how sacrifice could be unhealthy:

Allie and Mark have been married for three months. They love each other, but Mark feels like Allie asks too much of him. She gives him a “honey-do” list every Saturday, and she is constantly nagging him to do things her way. He is happy to do whatever it takes to make theirs a happy marriage, but sometimes he wishes that he could do things for her without being pushed into it.

  • Mark’s sacrifices would better if he didn’t feel pushed to sacrifice. Remember, the most beneficial sacrifice is given willingly, with approach motivations rather than with avoidance motivations. Allie could help the situation by being less demanding, more grateful, and by doing a good turn for Mark on a more frequent occasion.

Although Melissa is smitten with her boyfriend, her family is not so fond of him. They affectionately call him “Dan the Dud.” Mel has been dating him for nearly 18 months now, and she does everything she can to convince Dan to marry her. She regularly sacrifices social events and school demands to spend time with him, but he doesn’t seem to reciprocate. In reality, she knows that he really is a dud. She is convinced that things would be better if they were married.

  • Melissa is right in one respect—sacrifice and commitment do go hand-in-hand, though it is foolish to believe that Dan’s behavior will change after they get married. Research shows that for men especially, long-term commitment is related to greater willingness to sacrifice. 9 Sacrifice is always most advantageous when it is reciprocated. Only then can sacrifice contribute to a relationship climate of mutual support and generosity.

Karen and Tanner have three children. Karen has a giving heart, and she rarely considers her own needs. She spends so much time serving her family that she sometimes finds herself crashing, feeling exhausted and burned out. Tanner tries to convince her to take a break to rejuvenate, but she feels guilty about taking care of her own needs.

  • The answer to Karen’s problem is moderation! Moms are especially susceptible to burn-out. The problem isn’t sacrifice, but how much sacrifice. We all have finite capacities, and we can only give from what we have—in time, energy, or materials. Even mothers have limits. When Karen replenishes herself, she will be more effective in sacrificing and serving others.

Church leader Gordon B. Hinckley wisely defined love in sacrificial terms: “True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well-being of one’s companion”. 6 Current research and personal experience support Hinckley’s words. When it comes to family relationships, sacrifice is the vital key to individual happiness and family unity. Kenneth Boulding said it well: “[W]ithout the kind of commitment or identity which emerges from sacrifice, it may well be that no communities, not even the family, would really stay together”. 1

  • Bahr, H. S., & Bahr, K. S. (2001). Families and self-sacrifice: Alternative models and meanings for family theory. Social Forces, 79(4), 1231-1258.
  • Cherlin, A. J. (2004). The deinstitutionalization of American marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66(4), 848-861.
  • Fincham, F. D., Stanley, S. M., Beach, S. R H. (2007). Transformative processes in marriage: An analysis of emerging trends. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69, 275-292.
  • Fowers, B. J. (2000). Beyond the myth of marital happiness: How embracing the virtues of loyalty, generosity, justice, and courage can strengthen your relationship. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Hinckley, G. B. (1971, June). Except the Lord build the house . Ensign .
  • Pargament, K., Zinnbauer, B., Scott, A., Butter, E., Zerowin, J., & Stanik, P. (1998). Red flags and religious coping: Identifying some religious warning signs among people in crisis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 54(1), 77-89.
  • Stanley, S. M., Whitton, S. W., Sadberry, S. L., Clements, M. L., Markman, H. J. (2006). Sacrifice as a predictor of marital outcomes. Family Process, 45, 289-303.

A Godly Endeavor

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." –Matthew 10:39

Joseph Smith taught the early saints that a “religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary to salvation” (Lectures on Faith, 6:5). For the pioneers, sacrifice meant wooden handcarts and wintry treks. Today we have no physical journeys to make in offering. What then can we give? The very definition of sacrifice is to “[give] to the Lord whatever He requires of our time, our earthly possessions, and our energies to further His work”. 4 Today there is no godly work more pressing than the interests of home and family.

In face-to-face communion with God, Moses learned that work and glory of God is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). If we want to engage in God’s work, then our mission, like His, is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. How better to promote immortality and eternal life than in a family, where human life is created and eternal principles are taught? Indeed, the family is the setting that God instituted for individuals to learn, develop, and lay hold on immortality and eternal life.

In the Family Proclamation

Although The Family: A Proclamation to the World doesn’t refer to sacrifice in word, the principle is woven throughout. Consider the following instructions from the Proclamation, and notice how sacrifice is a guiding principle in our relationships with children, spouse, extended family, and with our Father in Heaven.

  • Sacrificing to Marry & Bear Children: The Proclamation has much to say about the sanctity of marriage and parenthood. We learn first that couples are to “multiply and replenish the earth,” and that “children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony.”

Couples may think it is costly to set aside their personal pursuits and worldly endeavors in order to build a family, but we know that marriage and family are worth any price. President Benson taught that “[n]o sacrifice is too great to have the blessings of an eternal marriage . . . By this act of faith, we show our love to God and our regard for a posterity yet unborn”. 2 It requires faith to choose to marry and bear children even when school schedules, careers, and finances get in the way. Fortunately, our Heavenly Father provides divine assistance. When we sacrifice for His purposes, He endows us with power from on high and blesses us with commandments to keep us safe and happy.

  • Sacrificing for Spouse: The Proclamation instructs that “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children” and to “help one another as equal partners.” They are also to “[employ] the sacred powers of procreation … between a man and a woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife” and to “honor marital vows with complete fidelity.”

Loving and caring for one’s spouse as an equal partner sometimes means foregoing personal interests. Maintaining chastity and fidelity sacrifices natural man carnal urges for the eternal joys of a covenant bond. These sacrifices ultimately provide couples with greater intimacy, affection, and unity.

  • Sacrificing to Raise Children: The Proclamation describes specific sacrifices that are required of mothers and fathers: “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live . . . By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.”

Parenting is not for the faint-hearted! Raising children is the very heart of sacrifice, demanding a total consecration of one’s time, talents, and interests. All other demands outside the home take second-place to the sacred tasks of providing, presiding, protecting, teaching, and nurturing children.

  • Sacrificing for Family Members: The Proclamation says only a little about extended family, but it teaches an important responsibility. “Extended families should lend support when needed,” it says.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” asked Cain (Genesis 4:9). We know from the teachings of Jesus Christ that we are our brother’s keepers. We covenant to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light” (Mosiah 18:9). This obligation is most important within our immediate and extended family units.

  • Sacrificing for Our Heavenly Father: The Proclamation helps us see that family life is happier when we do things God’s way. We learn that “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

Implicit in the Family Proclamation is the need to sacrifice to God. We choose to do family life in His way, sacrificing some of our own ideas and trusting that the instruction that He provides is the best ways to raise our families.

Blessings and Burdens

Sometimes the demands of family life don’t seem worth the effort. Mothers sacrifice sleep, sanity, and self-interests to nurture their children. Fathers put in forty-hour workweeks to provide for their families. It isn’t always easy to obey laws of tithing, church attendance, chastity, missionary service, or the Word of Wisdom. Yet we believe that it is to our benefit to suspend our personal desires to act in the interest of Heavenly Father’s divine purposes.

To those who tire of giving, remember that the sacrifices are not without reward. Blessings often come as burdens in disguise. President Ezra Taft Benson taught that “[Our] blessings will exceed any sacrifice [we] have made. We can never get the Lord in debt to us.” 2 So central is the role of sacrifice to our happiness that President Harold B. Lee said, “I [am] persuaded of one great truth: Whenever the Lord has a great blessing for one of his children, he puts that son or daughter in the way to make a great sacrifice”. 2 Let us sacrifice willingly, and so reap the rewards of earthly peace and eternal salvation.

Sacrifice yields rewards that far outweigh the costs. It may be in this way that God “reaps where he sow[s] not” (Matthew 25:26). Just as one small seed produces many pieces of fruit, so sacrifice multiplies in effect. It is infectious, and promotes a pattern of generosity among family members. The climate that prevails in a home where individuals willingly sacrifice for each other is one of trust, love, and mutual affection.

Note that not all sacrifice is created equally, however. When we give begrudgingly of our time or resources, we may cause more harm than good. Indeed, scriptures teach us that gifts given without real intent “profiteth [us] nothing” (Moroni 7:6-8). When we give willingly, sacrifice becomes a reward in its own right. It is a blessing rather than a burden.

United and Selfless

Unity is the champion of sacrifice, and selfishness is its destroyer. President Benson recommended that we replace selfishness with sacrifice:

“One of Satan’s greatest tools is pride: to cause a man or woman to center so much attention on self that he or she becomes insensitive to their Creator or fellow beings. It’s a cause for discontent, divorce, teenage rebellion, family indebtedness, and most other problems we face. If you would find yourself, learn to deny yourself for the blessing of others. Forget yourself and find someone who needs your service, and you will discover the secret to the happy, fulfilled life”. 2

Sacrifice is less of an action than it is a process of becoming. A change of heart is required. As we cultivate a giving heart, sacrifice can become the natural way to live virtuously.

"The principle of sacrifice should be taught in every Latter-day Saint home and should be practiced in many simple yet important ways." 1

–Elder M. Russell Ballard

Sacrifice is a lofty principle, but it is best expressed in ordinary settings. Consider applying sacrifice in some of the following ways:

  • Sacrifice the impulse to anger. Speak kindly to family members when they speak or behave in unbecoming ways.
  • Sacrifice time spent in personal pursuits to spend time with a family member.
  • Sacrifice your negative perceptions for more flattering views of others; rather than magnifying faults, look for the good in family members.

Elder Robert D. Hales taught this principle when he advised that “The secret of a happy marriage is to protect the Achilles’ heel and not take advantage of the weaknesses of those you know the best, love the most, and ultimately can hurt the most.” 3

  • Give gifts to family members; gifts could include material goods, service, attention, or time.
  • Sacrifice your personal hurts in exchange for healing. Forgive generously and refuse to take offense when wronged.
  • Teach your children to sacrifice. Your example of willingness to sacrifice for Heavenly Father through obedience to the commandments is one of the greatest gifts you can give.

The Wise Gift

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf 6 reminds us to “forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice. Good sacrifices give in exchange for something of far greater worth, while lesser sacrifices give in exchange for something of negligible value. He compares the good sacrifice of a parent giving up sleep to soothe a child after a nightmare with the foolish sacrifice of a mother staying up all night to make the perfect accessory for her daughter’s Sunday dress.

“Every person and situation is different, and a good sacrifice in one instance might be a foolish sacrifice in another. How can we tell the difference for our own situation? We can ask ourselves, ‘Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter most?’ There are so many good things to do, but we can’t do all of them. Our Heavenly Father is most pleased when we sacrifice something good for something far greater with an eternal perspective.”

The Atoning Sacrifice

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for [our] brethren."

–1 John 3:16

The scriptures remind us that “the great and last sacrifice” is not of man, but is an infinite and eternal sacrifice (Alma 34:10). Without the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our earthly sacrifices would mean nothing. Because Jesus Christ overcame death and hell, family relationships are eternal, and we know that our small daily sacrifices will benefit our families now and into eternity. Elder M. Russell Ballard reminds us of the central and pivotal role of our Savior’s sacrifice:

“Having power over life and death, He chose to submit himself to pain, ridicule, and suffering, and offered His life as a ransom for our sins. Because of His love, He suffered both body and spirit to a degree beyond our comprehension and took upon Himself our sins if we repent. Through His personal sacrifice, He provided a way for us to have our sins forgiven and, through Him, to find our way back into the presence of our Heavenly Father”. 1

Sacrifice is central to our Eternal Father’s plan for families. Our small daily sacrifices act as reminders of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. We will develop greater reverence for the Savior’s atonement when we thus act in his similitude. When we sacrifice at home, we remember that “This is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal” (Alma 34:14).

Written by Jenny Stewart, Research Assistant, and edited by Stephen F. Duncan, professor in the School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.

  • Ballard, M. R. (1992, May). The blessings of sacrifice . Ensign.
  • Benson, E. T. (1979, May). This is a day of sacrifice . Ensign.
  • Hales, R. D. (2011, September). A little heaven on earth . Ensign, 45-49.
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (2009). Gospel principles . Chapter 26: Sacrifice, 149-154.
  • The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1995, November). The family: A proclamation to the world . Ensign, 102.
  • Uchtdorf, D. F. (2011, October). Forget me not . Ensign.
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The Theology of Sacrifice

Other essays.

The biblical idea of sacrifice concerns the way of approach to God, finding acceptance before him by means of an acceptable substitute offered in place of the sinner and bearing the curse of sin.

This essay surveys the idea of sacrifice through the Old Testament in order to determine its intended significance. Next, this essay surveys the significance of the saving death of Christ as it is presented in these sacrificial categories. Special attention is given to Hebrews 9–10.

Introduction

The idea and practice of sacrifice is prominent throughout the biblical narrative. There is at least a hint of it as far back as Genesis 3:21, where God provides coats of skin for Adam and Eve. In Genesis 4:2-5 we read of the sacrifices offered by Cain and Abel, who presumably learned of the practice from Adam and Eve. We then read of sacrifices offered by Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (Gen. 12:7-8; 13:4, 18; 22:13), Isaac (Gen. 26:25), Jacob (Gen. 31:54; 33:20; 35:1-7; 46:1), and Job (1:5; 42:8). In Exodus and Leviticus, of course, the theme explodes. God delivers Israel from Egypt so that they may go and offer sacrifice to him (Exod. 3:18; 5:3, etc.; cf. 17:15), and it is by sacrifice, in fact, that they are delivered (Exod. 12). And in Exodus 20ff and in Leviticus God gives Moses detailed instructions for establishing and carrying out the sacrificial system that was to mark Israel’s worship under the terms of the old covenant. Various kinds of sacrifices were to be offered (the burnt offering, the guilt offering, the sin offering, the peace offering) at various times and for various specific purposes. Coming to the New Testament the practice of sacrifice is much less prominent, but the language of sacrifice dominates with reference to the death of Christ. Our objective here is to uncover the meaning and significance of sacrifice in the Old Testament in order better to discern the saving value of the death of Christ as explained by the New Testament writers.

Sacrifice in the Old Testament

As already observed, the idea of sacrifice begins in the early chapters of Genesis at the dawn of history. The significance tied to the coats of skin provided for Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21) is not immediately evident but can be understood more fully only by looking back from later revelation. All we can say at this point is that God covered their shame in a way that involved death.

Likewise the significance of the respective offerings of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:2-5) is not immediately evident. We are told only that Cain’s offering was “an offering of the fruit of the ground” (v. 3), that Abel’s was “of the firstborn of his flock” (v. 4), and that the Lord “had regard for” (i.e., accepted) Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s (vv. 4-5). Assuming that Cain and Abel learned the idea and duty of offering to God from their parents (Gen. 3:21) we might further conjecture that Cain’s offering was a departure from the norm, but with no more information than we are given at this point this is just conjecture. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews repeats that Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and adds that it was offered “by faith” and that by it Abel was “commended as righteous” (Heb. 11:4). So much seems implicit in the Genesis narrative, but we must survey further revelation to see just how it is so.

The precise purpose of Noah’s sacrifice (Gen. 8:20-21) is not explicitly stated, only that “the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma” and promised continued blessing. This notion of “pleasing aroma” surely does not indicate that the smoking meat “smelled good” but that God was pleased with what the sacrifice signified and so on that basis promised blessing. The idea of satisfaction is not far away, but we will need further revelation to confirm this.

In Genesis 22 God commanded Abraham to offer his son Isaac in sacrifice. Before the sacrifice was actually carried out, however, God provided a ram to die in Isaac’s place. Here the idea of divinely-provided substitution is prominent (cf. John 3:16; Rom. 8:32).

Although Job’s sacrifices (1:5) are not precisely defined we are told that they were offered to God because of sin. Likewise it was because of the sins of Job’s friends and God’s consequent anger against them that they were commanded to offer sacrifice (42:7-8). Here it is rather explicit that sacrifice is for the purpose of appeasing divine wrath against sinners.

In the command to sacrifice the Lamb of Passover (Exod. 12) the notion of sin is presumed, and the ideas of substitution (v.3, 13), rescue from divine judgment (v.12, 23), the necessity of blood (v.13, 22) become prominent. By the sacrifice of a qualified lamb whose blood was properly applied each Israelite household escaped the death of God’s judgment.

With God’s instructions concerning sacrifice given in Leviticus the theme begins to receive more explicit definition. The repeated occurrence of “sin” and phrases such as “if anyone sins” (or similar) and “for sin” scores of times throughout the book and the requirement that sacrifices be offered “confessing sin” all specify that it is sin that occasions the sacrifices and gives rise to their need. The descriptive terms “guilt offering” and “sin offering” and the requirements that the sacrifice itself be “without blemish” are reflective of the same. Similarly, the often repeated vocabulary of “atonement” ( kaphar / exilaskomai , indicating propitiation, appeasement ) and “forgiven” specify their purpose. Leviticus 5:10 serves well to summarize: “the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.” On the Day of Atonement the priest was required to “lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins” (16:22). This symbolic action was to signify the transference of sin to the animal who, in turn, would “bear all their [Israel’s] iniquities on itself.” Elsewhere in Leviticus this oft-repeated expression “bear sin” consistently connotes responsibility for sin and liability to judgment (5:1, 17; 7:18; 10:17, etc.; cf. Isa. 53:12; 1Pet. 2:24). The killing of the animal thus signifies the divine judgment that sin merits. The symbolism of laying hands on the sacrificial animal, confessing sin, and then the ritual slaughter of the animal therefore conveys the idea of deliverance by substitution. Forgiveness is secured by substitutional sacrifice. Finally, the repeated assurance that the sacrifice was a “pleasing aroma to the Lord” symbolizes God’s satisfaction with the sacrifice and acceptance of the sinner.

Observations

Old Testament sacrifice was intended to signify more than mere homage. The significance was that of securing forgiveness, expiation of sin, through the offering of a substitute. The offeror is not portrayed as a mere creature but specifically as a sinner, a sinful creature in need of forgiveness. The offeror comes with a consciousness of sin seeking restoration to God’s favor by means of the acceptable sacrifice. The sacrificial victim itself is an intermediary, a substitute providing expiation. It bears the sin of the worshiper who receives forgiveness by that substitutional sin-bearing.

All this is to say that it belongs to the very nature of sacrifice that it is directed first to God. That is, it is designed to influence God, to appease him and satisfy his demand of judgment, and it is only with this satisfaction secured that the worshiper finds forgiveness.

The prominent ideas in Old Testament sacrifice are sin, guilt, and judgment on the one hand and satisfaction, expiation, forgiveness, and reconciliation on the other.

Sacrifice in Old Covenant Context

In its historical setting these sacrifices were provided in order to answer the question, How can a holy God live in the midst of a sinful people? In redeeming Israel from Egypt and in establishing them as a theocratic nation at Sinai (the old covenant) God had made Israel his own people. He pledged to be their God and to dwell with them accordingly. But how can his holy presence among sinners be established? The sacrificial system was given to answer this problem.

Of course there are questions that necessarily remain. Can an animal actually take the place of a man or woman? Can the blood of an animal actually atone for the sin of a nation? And if the sacrifices do indeed secure God’s favor and forgiveness, why must they be repeated?

The New Testament will take up these kinds of questions, but at the very least we can say that the Old Testament sacrificial system established the structure and frame of reference with regard to God’s redemptive purpose: Sinners may obtain divine favor if an acceptable substitute could be found to offer to God in sacrifice.

The Death of Christ as a Sacrifice

All this provides the background for the New Testament’s frequent description of the death of Christ in sacrificial terms; indeed, it cannot be understood otherwise. When Jesus himself and the New Testament writers employ language such as “give my life a ransom,” “ransom in his blood,” “by his blood,” “the blood of his cross,” “my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,” “reconciled by his blood,” “justified by his blood,” “propitiation by his blood,” “through the death of his cross,” “made peace through the blood of his cross,” “Christ our Passover has been sacrificed,” “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God,” “him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,” “the lamb which takes away sin,” “he bore our sin,” “was made sin for us,” “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law having been made a curse for us,” and so on, they direct us to understand our Lord’s death in sacrificial categories. The terminology of propitiation, ransom, redemption, forgiveness, and reconciliation, all find their meaning against the backdrop of Old Testament sacrifice.

All this teaches us just how it is that Jesus’ death effected our salvation. Our Lord’s death was that of a sacrifice. On the cross he offered himself to God in our place, bearing our sin and its deserved judgment; thus satisfying God’s just demands against us he frees us from our sin and reconciles us to God. All that the Old Testament sacrifices symbolized the Lord Jesus actually accomplished in his saving work. The former sacrifices were symbolic and anticipatory of what was actual in Christ’s offering of himself on our behalf. Just as the Old Testament sacrifices were directed first to God (propitiation) in order then to effect expiation, so our Lord’s death was offered to God (Eph. 5:2; Heb.9:14). His sacrifice of himself for his people was in God’s estimation “a fragrant offering” (Eph. 5:2) effecting propitiation (Rom. 3:24; Heb. 2:17; 1Jn. 2:2; 4:10), satisfying his just demands and thus appeasing his wrath and, in turn, expiating sin. Just as through the sacrifice of the Day of Atonement the people of Israel were, in the person of their representative priest, brought behind the curtain into the holy of holies, so also through the death of Christ we are brought into the very presence of God (Heb. 10:19-20; cf. Matt. 27:51; John 2:19-21).

On the one hand, then, we may speak of the Old Testament sacrifices as prospective, anticipating and symbolizing the saving work that Christ would actually accomplish in his death (Heb. 9:9; 10:1; cf. Col. 2:17). To say the same another way, the writer to the Hebrews specifies that the older sacrifices were in fact “copies” of the “true” sacrifice that Christ offered (Heb. 8:2, 5; 9:23-24; cf. 9:11-12). That is, Jesus’ sacrifice is the “original,” the reality – ultimately, his sacrifice was not patterned after the Old Testament sacrifices; rather, they were patterned after his coming sacrifice – the true sacrifice of which they were but a distant shadow.

Hebrews on the Sacrifice of Christ

The writer to the Hebrews highlights in several ways how the sacrifice of Christ excels the sacrifices of the old covenant.

  • Christ’s sacrifice was offered only once (9:6-7, 11-12, 25-26, 28; 10:1, 10-12, etc.). The older sacrifices had to be repeated over and again, year after year. This would leave the thinking worshiper with doubts as to their real value (10:2-4), with little reason to assume that even the repeated offering of an animal could satisfy God or remove human guilt? The happy announcement of the gospel is that the sacrifice of Christ was of such value that it needed to be offered only once for all. Christ’s saving work is a finished work (cf. John 19:30), accomplished “once for all.”
  • Christ’s sacrifice effected forgiveness (9:9-10, 12; 10:1, 4, 11, 18). Sin was the problem addressed in sacrifice – it demanded removal. The repetition of the older sacrifices testified to their inability to deal with sin with finality. They were inadequate. The sacrifice was not of sufficient value. But our Lord offered himself (9:12, 13, 26), a sacrifice of supreme value (cf. Heb. 1-2), effectual in removing sin. Again, what the older sacrifices only anticipated the sacrifice of Christ actually accomplished, and it is therefore able to “purge the conscience” (9:14) of guilt.
  • Christ’s sacrifice was accepted in heaven , the true temple (8:2, 5; 9:1, 9, 11-12, 23, 24; 10:1). That is to say, it was not prospective of anything. It did not symbolize or anticipate the accomplishing of atonement. Accepted by God himself, in the true temple, forgiveness is assured.
  • Christ’s sacrifice gained access to God (Heb. 9:7-8; 10:19-22). The old sacrificial system was designed to demonstrate that the way to God is not just open to anyone on any terms (v. 8). There must be a qualified priest and an acceptable sacrifice offered in an acceptable way. Even so, the people at large must stay back – only the high priest had access into the holy of holies and that just once a year and by a prescribed ceremony of sacrifice. We must not presume. It is a fearful thing to approach the holy God. But by the sacrifice of Christ the way now is open. All who come by him, on the ground of his sacrificial work, are accepted (cf. Matt. 27:51; John 2:19-21).

At the climax of this discussion the writer draws several applications, marked by the word “therefore”:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:19-24).

That is, if the sacrifice of Christ, offered once for all, was accepted in heaven itself, effecting forgiveness and gaining access to God, then let us be bold , confident in approaching God assured of our acceptance. Let us be confident , assured of our acceptance there with unwavering faith. Let us persevere through any difficulty with confidence of our final salvation, and let us encourage one another to the same.

Concluding Thoughts

The theme of sacrifice, then, takes us to the heart of the gospel and the essence of the Christian faith.

In a very real sense it [the theme of sacrifice] constitutes Christianity. It is this which differentiates Christianity from other religions. Christianity did not come into the world to proclaim a new morality and, sweeping away all the supernatural props by which men were wont to support their trembling, guilt-stricken souls, to throw them back on their own strong right arms to conquer a standing before God for themselves. It came to proclaim the real sacrifice for sin which God had provided in order to supersede all the poor fumbling efforts which men had made and were making to provide a sacrifice for sin for themselves; and, planting men’s feet on this, to bid them go forward. 1

Further Reading

  • J. H. Kurtz, Offerings, Sacrifices, and Worship in the Old Testament
  • Leon Morris, The Atonement: Its Meaning and Significance .
  • Alec Motyer, Six Ways the Old Testament Speaks Today
  • Ronald Youngblood, The Heart of the Old Testament

This essay is part of the Concise Theology series. All views expressed in this essay are those of the author. This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate the content as long as an attribution link, indication of changes, and the same Creative Commons License applies to that material.

a father's sacrifice essay

Home » Articles » Balance » Personal Growth » 10 Sacrifices a Good Father Makes for His Child

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10 Sacrifices a Good Father Makes for His Child

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One working definition of sacrifice is this: giving up something temporarily good for something eternally better. There are many brief, good things in your life: watching football, shooting a round of golf, hunting, fishing, exercise. But all of them are far inferior to spending time with your children. Going in the backyard and tossing a ball with your child, going out for ice cream, or playing a board game with your kids should always trump the time spent on the trivial.

So minimize your brief pleasures if you cannot include your children in those activities or if participating in them yourself robs your kids of you. Instead, invest in what will last. Live the best life possible with your family. Sacrifice yourself for your children. Here are 10 sacrifices a good father makes for his child.

1. The Lifestyle

Life was easier without responsibilities. You could do whatever you wanted. But nowadays, there are little ones counting on you. Sure, you still slip out on occasion to catch Monday Night Football and see how many 50-cent wings you can down. But most days, you sip iced tea and your wingman uses a sippy cup.

2. Stepping up to the Plate

Sometimes you can’t believe the words coming from your mouth. “I sound just like my dad,” you think to yourself with a slight bit of fear. Then, you remember you are the dad now. A different set of priorities rests at your feet. You are the responsible one. Discipline and guidance have been reassigned to your department. You step up to the plate and you deliver because that’s what a good father does.

There is always something else that needs to be done and somewhere else you want to be . Then, you see those big brown eyes staring up at you. The only place you know you will be is right where they need you to be.

You’d love new golf clubs or the 80-inch TV that taunts you at Best Buy. But you leave those items in your dreams or on a “wish list” that gets larger over time. You work hard so your loved ones have what they need. Luxuries are for them when possible. College funds, insurance, and retirement plans are where you have your spending sprees now.

Remember sleeping past 10 a.m. once upon a time? You are lucky to make it past 8 on weekend mornings and 6:30 during the week. Your first instinct might be to shoo your child back to the television. But you don’t. You get up and play because he or she will remember what type of man you are forever.

6. Your Dream Job

You work hard and you’re talented. Naturally, opportunities present themselves. There is always a kicker though. This one moves the family across the country. That one requires that you travel for three weeks a month. The money is incredible, but how much of your soul will it cost? The corporate ladder only needed to be climbed just so far. To keep climbing may require too much precious time away from your family.

7. Being Cool

You’re cool, right? Nope. You’re a good dad, but you aren’t cool. Your clothes are old, you’re carrying too much weight, you’ve lost too much hair, and you have no idea who sings the most popular song. No, you aren’t cool, but there is a very positive trade-off. You are Superman in the eyes of a special little child.

Back in the day, you had season tickets and never missed a game. Occasionally, you spend what amounts to a full car payment to take the whole family with you for a game. You arrive late because your daughter puked on the way. You leave early because your son is starting to lose it. You listen to the rest of the game on the radio on the way home, but you’re OK with it because a good father knows what’s really important.

9. Your Things

The big game is on and you want to watch. That’s when your daughter comes in and wants to watch her favorite show. So you give up the big screen. It’s tough to give up our stuff, but you are willing to do it because hearing your child laugh is more satisfying than watching the game.

10. Spreading Their Wings

He just learned how to ride a bike and now he’s backing your car down the driveway. A few days ago, she was playing with Barbies and now she has a date coming to pick her up. Yesterday, you were holding his hand walking into kindergarten and now the trunk is packed for college. The most difficult sacrifice for any great father is letting go.

Earn some points: Are you married? If so, share this iMOM article with your wife: 5 Things Moms Need to Sacrifice for Their Kids .

Sound off: What things have you given up temporarily for your kids?

Huddle Up Question

Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What do you think it means to sacrifice for someone else?”

More Resources

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72 Life Skills to Teach My Children (Before They Leave the House)

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a father's sacrifice essay

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"My father made a sacrifice" - Significant experience...

malinday 1 / 4   Sep 22, 2010   #2 I thought some of the sentences were choppy - some short sentences are good, but a few of these seem to disrupt the flow of the essay. Also, some of your word choice could be revised... Ex. "stimulation" (p2) doesn't seem like the right word in the context of that sentence. I like the conclusion in that it summarized the effects of your difficult situation, but avoid the cliches, i.e. the rain and the rainbow. If the essay was centered more around the ideas in the concluding paragraph (your growth and the lessons you've learned), instead of summarizing the events, I think your essay would have more impact. It's a good essay though.

a father's sacrifice essay

ampa 2 / 8   Sep 25, 2010   #4 I like your honest statment about how yoru were a spoiled and pampered child. It's very to the point and real. It would help, and you'd let the reader know more about yourself if you talk more about how your father's suffering impacted you because I feel like you loose your amount of detail as you progress in your essay and also, just add the word "and" here: people he had to deal with, and they were surely not pleasant for him good luck!

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a father's sacrifice essay

What might be the biggest sacrifice ? Who is the person who can sacrifice anything for the sake of just a smile? Yes it’s Father.

We all know that mother is the strongest person in the world. But did you know that a father is the one who sacrifices his own dreams for the sake of his family!

It’s not just a word but there is a huge feeling in it. For girls, a father is their first hero and first love but for boys, he is a hidden hero and first guide. Most of you don’t recognise the hurdles that fathers face just to make you smile at the end of the day.

Just like you, fathers will also have dreams to achieve. They will have planned something for the future, but when it comes to something you need to buy, he sacrifices all his dreams just to get you the item or thing. He never lets you know that he was dreaming to get something for himself.

Mothers are the ones who work day and night without any off or leave but same goes to fathers. They need to keep working just to make you free from burden and keep you happy. Mothers express their feelings to children but fathers never open up.

He is the only person who always keeps his problems and worries to himself and only shares the happiness. The biggest sacrifice is nothing but giving up their dreams which fathers do without even thinking for more than one second.

When a man gets married, he starts to feel the change in him. He becomes the head of the family and all the burden shifts upon him. He never let anyone know the struggles he is facing instead he always smiles back at his children.

To feed the family and take care of the children, he starts working more and more. He even sacrifices the daily things he wants to buy just to make sure his children are getting everything they need. He wears the same dress again and again so that you can buy more clothes with the money.

He may ride a regular bike or sometimes even don’t buy one just to get you the vehicle you like. Fathers have always been so generous and helping, but most of them hate fathers because they don’t buy you what you want immediately.

Most of them don’t even talk to him because he is strict. Some feel shy to even sit beside him. What’s the shyness in being with your own father? It’s the attachment. He gives up all the attachments that are to be made when you are small because he was busy working to make up your future.

Be with your father and talk to him regularly. Now it’s your time to take care of him and his needs. Please take care of your father. They might not open up but it’s your duty to be with them.

The second strongest person in one’s life and the most sacrificial person.

a father's sacrifice essay

self-knowledge is essential for personal growth, decision making, and accurate self-assessment. all thanks to dr mandla for his spiritual support and ...

a father's sacrifice essay

father\'s guide and provide for success and safety of family but never tell anyone

i have no words to praise your article.and like me there are so many who will do the same. no doubt a father\' s sacrifices are innumerable. a person ...

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a father's sacrifice essay

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Essay on sacrifice

Essay on sacrifice 2 Models

Essay on sacrifice, a short essay on sacrifice is moral and religious behavior, many models such as a paragraph on sacrifice and its effects on the individual and society, an essay on the sacrifice of parents for the sake of their children, sacrifice is actions, not words, self-sacrifice for the sake of the homeland is one of the highest types of sacrifice and an essay on sacrifice for the sake of making others happy.

Interesting topics, written in an easy style, suitable for the fifth and sixth grades of primary school, and the first, second, and third grades of preparatory and high school, in which I present wonderful examples of sacrifice.

It is also important that we work on developing this great moral behavior among citizens, by honoring the people who sacrificed for others. These people are real heroes and deserve thanks and praise.

Essay on sacrifice

The character of sacrifice is a great character, which only a great person can possess. Essay on sacrifice  includes fine examples of sacrifice. Sacrifice is not easy, not all people can give the most precious thing they have for others. Sacrifice is an attribute that transcends its owner and raises his worth.

Therefore, only good people who love the benefit of others do it, and therefore if we look at our reality, we will find that the people who sacrifice for the sake of others are few, especially whenever corruption spreads and bad morals prevail, and people are busy collecting money and forgetting to raise children on good morals.

Sacrifice definition

Sacrifice is when a person voluntarily gives up something that belongs to him, or his right to obtain it, to others in order to make them happy and achieve success for them. In this case, he prefers others over himself, and prefers to make them happy and benefit them. In many cases, the sacrificer will be affected negatively throughout his life because of this sacrifice.

One of the sacrifices that no one can deny is the sacrifice of the mother and the father for the sake of their children. It is a sacrifice that takes place every day without complaining or grumbling, so that the children do not feel these sacrifices and consider them for granted (normal).

Sacrifice is a moral and religious behavior

Sacrifice is a great moral behavior, and only a person who was raised to love goodness for others, and whose family cultivated sacrifice for the sake of others, would do it, and taught him that happiness is not real unless those around you are happy. In our essay on sacrifice, it is important to write about the importance of spreading this good behavior among citizens.

And when we look at the characteristics of people who sacrifice for the sake of others, we find that they are among the most sincere and kind-hearted people, and the most merciful of them towards the weak, because sacrifice is only issued by a person of decent morals.

This is because sacrifice is preferring others over oneself, and this is a very difficult thing for anyone to do, and it requires high morals and faith that this sacrifice will not be lost in vain.

Sacrifice is a religious behavior in the first place, as all monotheistic religions urge sacrifice for the happiness of others, and for the protection of homelands.

The Messengers were the role models for humanity in patience, sacrifice and enduring hardships, all in order to spread goodness and good morals among people.

Kinds of sacrifice

There are many types of sacrifice, so you should mention some of them in the essay on sacrifice. It is certain that every person of us lived a situation and made a decision to sacrifice, so sometimes he was the sacrificer and at other times he was the recipient of the sacrifice, and there are many examples of that, and we can mention the following:

  • Sacrifice effort: In many cases, the sacrifice is an effort you make to help a weak or elderly person meet his needs, or to do the work instead of him. An example that occurs on a daily basis is giving up your seat on public transportation to a woman, an elderly man, or a pregnant woman.
  • Sacrificing time: Sacrificing time is a form of sacrifice, and you can sacrifice some time to help a colleague understand his lessons, teach someone to write and read, or do other charitable causes.
  • Sacrifice money: Sacrifice money is one of the most common types of sacrifice among people, as all monotheistic religions urge to help the poor. Therefore, the rich donate part of their money to the poor, and that is voluntarily. Money is also donated to social organizations, and the rich contribute to building hospitals, schools, universities, roads, facilities, and more.
  • Sacrificing social position: We often find that someone gives up his position to another person voluntarily, because he feels that that person is more deserving of this position than him, or because he wants this person to succeed and rise above him. And I saw in one of the running competitions the first contestant fell a very short distance before the finish line, and he could not get up, and the surprise was when the next contestant helped him to get the first place. The contestant gave up the victory for himself and sacrificed for someone else. This contestant has won everyone’s appreciation and respect.
  • Self-sacrifice: Self-sacrifice is considered one of the highest types of sacrifice, and it requires a person to be convinced of the cause for which he sacrifices himself, and many soldiers sacrifice themselves in defense of their homelands. Their heroic work will remain a crown over their heads, and we will remember them throughout our lives, for their favor to us is great.

Parents sacrifice

There is no doubt that the sacrifice of fathers and mothers is one of the greatest deeds, as the mother sacrifices her comfort and health since pregnancy, and suffers many health problems during pregnancy, then suffers more during childbirth, so that she may die during childbirth. So you should mention ,in our essay on sacrifice, the sacrifices of the mother and father.

Since the mother gives birth to her child, a new phase begins in her life. It is a phase in which there is no rest, as the mother gives up her physical comfort, sleep and life regime in order to take care of her child.

The mother continues to care for her child, and the problems multiply. The mother tries to provide her child with a healthy, happy life filled with love and tenderness. At every stage of the child’s life, the mother finds herself facing bigger problems and challenges that she must deal with.

The long journey continues until the child becomes an adult who can depend on himself. In fact, the role of the mother does not end, no matter how old her children have grown and become men and women. Rather, they turn to their mother whenever they encounter a problem, or feel that they need love and tenderness.

Likewise, the father’s sacrifice is great, as he works and toils in order to provide the necessary money for the family, and thus he gives up his comfort and enjoyment of his time, and prefers buying the family’s needs rather than buying his own needs.

How to acquire the sacrifice characteristic

There is no doubt that it is nice to accustom our children from childhood to this great moral, which is the moral of sacrifice, and there are some factors that help in acquiring this moral, including:

  • Accustom yourself to love the good of people, and help them as much as possible.
  • Accompany people with good manners, because a friend has a great influence on your behavior.
  • Get rid of selfishness and self-love, and get rid of bad morals.
  • Eliminate indifference to the feelings of others.
  • Be brave and enterprising, and do not care about the opinions of others as long as you think you are doing the right thing.
  • Reading the history of your country gives you feelings of patriotism and respect for the martyrs who sacrificed themselves in order to liberate their country, or to provide a better life for future generations.
  • Follow religious teachings, which urge social solidarity, and help the poor and needy.

At the end of the essay on sacrifice, I dealt with the definition of sacrifice, and that it is a word that denotes a great work, and I presented a paragraph about the types of sacrifice, and what are the greatest types of sacrifice, including the sacrifice of parents for the sake of their children.

In the end, we cannot deny that sacrifice is a moral and religious behavior, and the prophets are our role models in sacrifice, as they spent effort, time and hardship in order to spread goodness and peace among people.

In conclusion of the essay on sacrifice I hope you have benefited.

To read more, please click on the following link:

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a father's sacrifice essay

Sacrifices Of Father To Their Children Essay PDF Free Download

Sacrifices Of Father To Their Children: He works hard but he was smiling,

He Work Day and night,

without letting his children knew.

He was there always with you in your every emotion.

He Makes many sacrifices for you every time.

He is nothing but your Father…Hence try to respect his attitude and sacrifices for you.

Sacrifices Of Father To Their Children Essay PDF Free Download

If we talked about sacrifices many people are saying that they sacrifice this and that for someone.

And as result they got nothing. But the only person who doesn’t say that although he sacrifices his whole life for his children is his father.

Have you seen your father saying that I have sacrificed my life for you you have to now pay back to me? No father in the world does that.

Instead, they sacrifice a lot more than what they show us or what we perceive to be true outside.

When you were born and of some months our father and mother both have to sacrifice their daily sleep to make you smile and stop you from crying.

They make a double shift and work hard for your education and everything. Their sacrifice is priceless hence no people can say that they haven’t seen their father’s sacrifices.

It is always their only thing many children unable to recognize.

Fathers are a strength to a daughter and an inspiration for a son. They are the one who gives their family strength and security of living a good and happy life.

Many fathers are sacrificing their many things. But in return, they are not getting even a fraction of love and they were then sent to the old age home.

This is what they have been working so hard for you.

The father always sees their son or daughter growing. And wants to see them in a better position in life no matter what sacrifices he will have to bear to complete their education and basic stuff.

A father although is not keeping you 9 months in their womb. But, he is giving you that security when you come out of that for your entire life.

That sacrifice nowadays children’s are getting forget, what their fathers have done for them. Or are working to make your life better. “Father” a word in itself has a great value that’s why every country says they have “father of the nation” or father of sociology and all.

The value is always there from ancient times.

The only thing now in the 21st century that has changed is their presence. We in this busy life have forgotten to appreciate the good and hard work done by our parents.

Be it, father or mother, for ourselves, and instead, we start arguing for ourselves with them. Many children now even come to a stage where they yell and fight.

Also, this is the worst case we are doing to our fathers and family. Remember when nobody was there for you they were there for you.

Hence have their value and respect them and hence spread the positivity and take out some time for them as well. Remember “You are there because your father was behind you”.

Hence keep doing right and positive things and appreciated the hard work of your father.

Happy Fathers Day to all… Enjoy

Sacrifices Of Father To Their Children PDF Below:

What are your views about Sacrifices Of Father To Their Children. Kindly let us know in the comment section. Also tell us How is your father and his attitude about you. And share if your father has also done any such sacrifices for you. Please let us know in the comment section below.

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Joe Biden’s place in history depends on Kamala Harris’s success

A sombre president says farewell at the democratic convention.

Joe Biden as Caesar having his crown snapped by someone else's scissors.

T HE DEMOCRATS came to their convention in Chicago to praise Joe Biden, and to bury him. No one wanted to dwell on the recent unpleasantness, on how a handful of party eminences pried the nomination from his clenched hands like so many adult children compelling their fading father to surrender the car keys. Suddenly, it was hard to find anyone who thought nominating Mr Biden again, at the age of 81, was ever a good idea, no matter how many Democratic officials used to insist it was. By the time the convention began on August 19th the last of Joe Biden’s many campaigns had come to seem sad, even scary, certainly embarrassing: time to leave it behind.

Mr Biden is playing along, consummate politician that he is. Just a few weeks ago he was railing against “elites in the party” who thought they knew the voters better than he did. When the convention opened less than a month had passed since he yielded the nomination to his vice-president, Kamala Harris , who his own aides had been saying would be a weaker candidate. But Mr Biden has come to accept his new role. It is a familiar one, as supporting player to a more charismatic politician, one who may not have lived as much history but unlike him could make it.

In Chicago the delegates chanted “thank you, Joe”,  and Mr Biden gave every appearance of basking in their backhanded gratitude for his enforced act of self-sacrifice, with its implicit reminder they no longer wanted him for the job. “He showed what it means to be a true patriot,” Hillary Clinton declared, ushering Mr Biden into the past tense as she went on to say, “And now we are writing a new chapter in American history.”

The president even delivered his own eulogy, though he was elbowed into well after prime viewing hours for American television. It lacked the grace the moment called for and he himself deserved. His aides had said he would look ahead and make the case for Ms Harris, and he did. But he spent far more time recounting his accomplishments.

His tone was forceful and even angry, as has been true of most of his speeches in the past year; it is as though this once wildly riffing performer has become stuck at the sombre end of the keyboard. He insisted that he was not aggrieved. “I love the job, but I love my country more,” he said. “All this talk about how I’m angry at all the people who said I should step down, it’s not true.” Then he left the convention, with plans to disappear on holiday to southern California.

How hard it must be for a man so sensitive to disrespect or dishonour. Biographers of Mr Biden have noted he still remembers the names of children who humiliated him in primary school. Back then they treated him as stupid and called him “Joe Impedimenta” (the nuns drilled them all in Latin) or “Bye-Bye” because of the stutter he fights to this day. Even once he finally became president, Mr Biden kept noting that the man he had served as vice-president, Barack Obama, preferred Ms Clinton to him as the party’s standard-bearer in 2016, though, as Mr Biden also liked to say, he would have won. Now Mr Obama, the friend Mr Biden served so loyally, had reportedly once again expressed a lack of faith in him, contributing to his displacement from the ticket.

But despite, or because of, Mr Biden’s many tribulations, self-pity has never been one of his flaws. “No one owes you anything,” he likes to quote his father as having said. “You gotta get up.” And Mr Biden needs Ms Harris to win. Not only does he believe, as he warned the delegates, that Mr Trump threatens “the very soul of America”, but his own place in history rides on her success. For all his concern about democratic institutions, Mr Biden failed in a fundamental task of an institutional leader, properly preparing the way for a successor and stepping aside at the right moment to ensure continuity. If Ms Harris loses her whirlwind campaign, Mr Biden will bear the responsibility.

Mr Biden is back to playing the “transition” president he once promised to be, having tried to become a transformational one. He has often said, as he did again at the convention, that he came out of semi-retirement in 2019 in order to run a third time for president to stop Donald Trump. But he began to see a chance to accomplish Democratic goals on a scale not achieved since Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in the White House. Maybe the sense of economic and social crisis created by the covid-19 pandemic and the attack of January 6th 2021 caused Mr Biden to raise his ambitions. More likely it was just his nature. A certain audacity has characterised his politics since, at 29, he launched his first Senate campaign against a popular incumbent, renting the biggest ballroom in Delaware for his victory party when he was at 3% in the polls. He won; Mr Biden has never been beaten by a Republican, only, as now, by Democrats.

Did not go gentle

From years before that first Senate race, Mr Biden had envisioned himself as president, and by the time he got the job at last he was impatient to make the most of it. He succeeded in passing more far-reaching legislation, including some with more bipartisan support, than even his supporters imagined possible at a time of deep polarisation in American politics. His term, he told the delegates in Chicago, was “one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever. Period.”

But he put all of it at risk. He kept Mr Trump’s most potent issue warm for him by ignoring the crisis at the southern border for two years, and then he made the hubristic choice to run one more time. Still, he, and the country, could prove lucky. A victory by Ms Harris may yet affirm the image he tried to project in Chicago, of a forward-looking, generous leader—even, in the end, a transformational one, in part because of the vice-president he chose. ■

Stay on top of American politics with  The US in brief , our daily newsletter with fast analysis of the most important electoral stories, and  Checks and Balance , a weekly note from our Lexington columnist that examines the state of American democracy and the issues that matter to voters.

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The Speech Biden Never Wanted to Give

“Thank you, Joe!’’ the crowd members chanted to a tearful president for his lifetime of public service. But they were also thanking him for not running again.

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President Biden standing next to a lectern and looking up, with his right hand over his heart, as a crowd holds “We heart Joe” signs behind him.

By Peter Baker

Reporting from inside the United Center in Chicago

When the crowd members in the United Center first chanted, “Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!” on Monday night, President Biden looked down, fought back tears and soaked in the admiration.

But he knew. He might not have wanted to admit it. But he knew. They were thanking him, yes, for what he accomplished during a lifetime in public service. But they were also thanking him, let’s be honest, for not running again.

It is hard to think of a more bittersweet moment for a president who spent more than a half-century on the stage only now to be involuntarily shown the exit. The warm bath of affection in Chicago, real as it may have been, could go just so far to salve the wounds of the past few weeks.

Biden Delivers Keynote on First Night of D.N.C.

In his speech, which lasted nearly an hour, the president touted his accomplishments, attacked donald trump and passed the baton to kamala harris..

“We love Joe.” “America, I love you. Let me ask you, are you ready to vote for freedom?” “Yeah!” “Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America?” “Yeah!” “Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz –” “Yeah!” “president and vice president of the United States? Because of you, we’ve had one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever, period. When, I say ‘we,’ I mean Kamala and me. Donald Trump calls America a failing nation. He says we’re losing. He’s the loser. He’s dead wrong. Donald Trump says he will refuse to accept the election result if he loses again. Think about that. He means it. Think about that. All of us carry a special obligation. Independents, Republicans, Democrats. We saved democracy in 2020 and now we must save it again in 2024. Folks, we just have to remember who we are. We’re the United States of America. And there’s nothing we cannot do when we do it together. God bless you all, and may God protect our troops.”

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As much as they cheered Mr. Biden and waved their preprinted “We ♥ Joe” signs, the thousands of Democrats gathered for their quadrennial national convention were sending him off to the presidential retirement home four years before he was ready. Mr. Biden found himself demoted from speaking as the presidential nominee on Thursday night, when as recently as a month ago he had expected to address the convention, to Monday night, an evening usually reserved for the party’s past stars.

Mr. Biden, 81, gave little indication that he was eager to go. While he made a couple of self-deprecating jokes about his age, he barely alluded to his decision to step aside under pressure from fellow Democrats worried that the struggles of the oldest president in the nation’s history would sink the party. When he did, he simply framed it as an act of sacrifice to save American democracy from former President Donald J. Trump.

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