Parents often give their all, pouring themselves out day after day. Yet sometimes a quiet question rises within:
Is it worth it?
What is the point of all this endless sacrifice?
Some even wonder, If I were gone today, would life simply move on without me? My children would keep growing, my spouse might remarry, and in time everything would continue, perhaps quicker than I imagine.
These are honest thoughts. They reveal the weight of what it means to give of yourself without always seeing immediate reward or recognition. But pause for a moment and think of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Example of Christ Giving Anyway
What if Jesus Christ had entertained these same thoughts and never moved beyond them to do the will of God?
What if He chose not to take a chance on humanity because He knew many would reject Him?
He knew that even after His death and resurrection, people would still live as though no sacrifice had been made. Yet He went ahead anyway. Romans 5:8 says: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. His love and obedience to the Father outweighed the risk of rejection. He gave Himself, not because of what He would gain from us, but because of what He would gain in obedience to His Father.
Even God knew that not all men would accept the sacrifice of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, yet He made that sacrifice anyway. How do we know He was aware? Because He inspired John to write:
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).
The word whoever tells us everything. It means the offer was open. Anyone could accept, and anyone could reject. God knew some would turn away, yet His love compelled Him to give. The sacrifice was not based on guaranteed acceptance but on obedience and love.
Romans 5:8 reinforces this truth: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” .
The Pattern for Parenting
That is the pattern for parenting and even marriage. We are not to measure our sacrifices by what we think we will gain from our children and our spouse. Yes, children are a reward from the Lord (Psalm 127:3: “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him” ), but the truest reward comes from God who entrusted them to us.
Colossians 3:23–24 says: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” .
Parenting is service. Every sleepless night, every whispered prayer, every correction given in love, every meal prepared, every tear wiped; it is all seen by God. The fruit in our children’s lives may take years to show, but God records every sacrifice now.
Keep Your Eyes on the True Prize
So, make the sacrifices anyway.
Do all you can and all you need to do for them.
Keep your eyes on the true prize; on God, on Christ Jesus, because in Him, nothing given in love is ever wasted.
Galatians 6:9 says: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” . Remember, you can’t outgive God. You can’t possibly sacrifice more than He already has or ever will. As Romans 11:35–36 says: ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen’
Points to Ponder
- When have I felt like my sacrifices as a parent or spouse were unnoticed or unappreciated?
- How can I shift my focus from expecting reward from my children or spouse to trusting God for my reward?
- What is one sacrifice I need God’s grace to keep making joyfully in this season?
Ask God to help you parent with His kind of love, the kind that gives anyway, even when the response isn’t certain.
Love you!
