Without a doubt David Livingstone was one of the most famous Christian missionaries our world has ever known. Livingstone (1813 – 1873), in his short sixty years of life, made a greater impact on the entire continent of Africa perhaps more than any man who ever lived. His discoveries and mapping of, at the time, this unknown continent, were instrumental in leading the way to England’s imperialism of several African nations during the 19th and 20th centuries. While Livingstone was first and foremost a missionary, sharing Christ, to the many unreached people groups of Africa, he was also an explorer, and an ardent abolitionist of the African slave trade. Simply put his life and findings were world-changing!
Throughout his amazing life Livingstone never viewed the many dangers, trials, and sufferings he experienced in Africa for Christ’s sake a sacrifice, but rather a privilege. Once when Livingstone addressed a classroom full of Cambridge University students in 1858 he stated:
“For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa… Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in… the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.”1
C. T. Studd, another great missionary, echoed Livingstone’s sentiments when he said: “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”2
These two great missionaries understood that making a sacrifice for Jesus is in fact no sacrifice, but a great privilege. They also understood that the anxiety, sickness, suffering, and danger they often encountered for the sake of the gospel can’t compare with the benefits that accrue to those willing to endure these difficulties. Undoubtedly, they must have often meditated on the following Scriptures to show that there really is no comparison between enduring the trials and suffering, or sacrifices they encountered, since no one wants these, with the blessings:
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30)
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8).
“His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:40-41)
My friends we all at times make sacrifices in life with the hope of gaining some worldly benefits. But in the case of Christians who understand the incredible blessings we gain for serving Christ, for both now and for all eternity, the concept of sacrifice needs to be coupled with the idea of privilege. For you see worshipping and serving Christ and sharing the gospel are the most joyous and meaningful activities that any individual can ever experience in life.
Imagine the Creator and Lord of the entire universe allows us to fellowship and commune with Him any time we want, and for as long as we want! What an incredible blessing! What an incredible privilege! And when we look at the costs incurred with giving up things for the sake of Christ and the gospel, with the benefits we receive in the form of meaning, joy, peace, and eternal life, in my opinion, there just is no comparison! There just is nothing in this world that can compare with the privilege of being in the presence of Jesus!
1 ‘I Never Made a Sacrifice’ | Desiring God
2 Quote by C.T. Studd: “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no…”