The Paradox of Sacrifice – A Poem

Have you ever read a book where one character sacrificed himself to save others? I have. It’s a heartbreaking demonstration of love, a paradox where death is what brings life. It reminds me of John 15:13, which says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

I think of several images when I hear the word sacrifice. In a chess game, you often have to sacrifice pieces in order to achieve victory. In life, you may have to give up something you love to bring about something far better. I think of wars where many lives were spent in the hope of changing the world for good.

Sacrifice is a sorrowful thing. If you’re like me, the thought of it grieves you. To me, the rawest picture of sacrifice is that of a lamb. It is Passover week, an important holiday for the Jewish people. The origin of the holiday can be found in the book of Exodus. The Hebrew families in Egypt were commanded to take an innocent, spotless lamb into their home and care for it. Though they must have become attached to it, its blood was required to ward off judgment.

As I considered what to write for this blog post, an idea for a poem came to mind. It isn’t a perfect piece, but I believe it conveys what I need it to.

The Paradox of Sacrifice

In a broken world so full of strife,

How can it be that death brings life?

Such a paradox troubles my mind

With thoughts of the puzzling kind.

Tell me why a command would go forth

To take a lamb so soon from birth,

And slay it upon the altar stone,

Its blood for evil to atone.

Must the hands of every sinful man

Be placed upon this little lamb?

Every life demands a sacrifice,

A payment for humanity’s vice.

What would happen, if death went to war

And found no blood on their heart’s door?

The Reaper gathers sheaves for the flame,

And though they plead, none will be saved.

Yet there is hope for this broken world;

The fatal disease has a cure.

A paradox bought by blameless blood

That stems judgment’s relentless flood.

An innocent Lamb, perfect in all,

Stood and took humanity’s fall.

The death of one brought life to the world,

A paradox at last unfurled.

Happy Passover and Holy Week, friends!