Sacrifice and faith have different definitions but they both demonstrate a devotion to a belief which finds expression in our daily lives. While Sacrifice means giving up something, faith means believing in something but both are part of the theologies of Christian beliefs and practices.
I remembered a personal faith-related experience I had years ago and thought to share.
It happened over a decade ago, at Chykeann Consults. I finished work one day, shut my laptop and went home. The next day, I came to work and my laptop had disappeared. At first, it felt like a joke but with time, it dawned on me that my laptop was stolen inside my office by an unknown person.
The last person I attended to before leaving the office the previous day was a former colleague. Both of us worked with the laptop, but he left before I shut down the laptop, so he’s not a suspect. I usually leave the office earlier than my staff who stay till the close of work and lock the office.
Lost and furious, I told everyone to leave the office and I threatened them never to return without my laptop or at least any information about it. I couldn’t imagine the implication of losing all the files, especially the ones that will never be recovered.
The office was so tense, I didn’t know whether to report to the police or to keep searching cluelessly. We never had anything missing in the office, so it was hard to suspect anyone.
I remembered that my mum usually says a particular prayer and a psalm when something goes missing. I called her, and she gave me the prayer, but I was too high on emotions to say it well, perhaps that made it not work.
I kept asking myself, how did this laptop disappear from my office? My office and other consulting rooms in that office are usually locked, plus the burglar-resistant door and the main door. To enter my office, you must pass the reception, so no door links my office to the outside. There was no trace of burglary, all the doors in the office were locked that day and opened the following day as usual but no one could remember if the laptop was on the table when they locked my office and didn’t check the laptop when they opened the office. So we didn’t know whether it was stolen that day or the next day before I came. That was the most mysterious experience I’ve ever had at the office. Sadly, CCTV was not so in vogue at that time.
The more I asked questions without any answer, the more my head kept spinning. We had many other laptops in that office, so why should the stolen one be mine? The office was on the 5th floor of a very secure building with front and back security, located on the Island, so how did it happen? If anything should go missing in that office, why my laptop while laptops were there?
I was alone at the office, confused about what to do. I managed to call clients to postpone all my appointments for the day. Then one of the staff walked in. I thought she came with good information as to what happened but she made a weird suggestion to me. She told me she went to a seer who did some incantations and told her that he knew what happened but needed her to bring a life fowl and some cash so he could sprinkle it in a mirror for her to watch how it happened. What? I screamed. How did you know the person? She said she was crying and calling people and someone directed her there. So she came to collect money from me or probably take me with her to watch the ‘movie’ in a mirror. My jaw dropped. Why should I go to such an extent because of a laptop? She kept begging me for us to go or for me to give her money to go. Her curiosity quenched mine and turned it into fear. I realized that I had overreacted by chasing them away which compelled them to go the extra mile.
I told her to call other staff that were still outside and we had a meeting. Though I was still confused and sad, I allowed the case to die off and got another laptop
Things are happening and sometimes our reactions are capable of making things worse, either in the short or long run. If that lady had the money and the fowl, maybe she would have gone ahead with that. Who knows what the implications would have been?
Our faith differs. While I don’t condemn the faith of others, I was taught not to infiltrate my faith no matter the circumstances. I may be able to defend my faith but not that of others so it’s wise not to step beyond my territory. To me, it was a sacrifice of faith.
Sometimes, the urge for a quest or to seek a solution is so strong that we forget the concomitant effects until it is too late.
Sacrifice and faith are of great relevance in our fight for daily bread. As Christians, we’re built by faith and called to be spiritually sensitive in our dealings.
There are times to let go of some fights. A staff breaching the terms of employment, a client causing untold troubles, a colleague stepping on your toes, false accusations/allegations and li..es, wick..edness, fights and so on. It’s okay to let go sometimes or to go out of balance for some reason. Not every fight is worth the stress and time, letting go and making the sacrifice of forfeiture often prevails.
However, some sacrifices made at work are choices made out of the demands of the business. Like drifting away from family and relationships, forfeiting leisure time, fitness time, fun time, exchanging privacy for access, giving up comfort, and so on. Beyond these, sacrifices may come as crosses on the way and need to be carried with faith.
Our faith should be the foundation of our sacrifices. Every successful person has a story of sacrifice to tell. It goes to show that some sacrifices made through faith make success easy to achieve.
โ๏ธAmara Ann Unachukwu
