I'm not sure how this all got started, but yesterday our oldest son decided to take some of the things from his own bedroom over to his younger brother's bedroom.  The things that he chose were things that he finds comfort in, such as a fiber optic night-light shaped like a flying saucer, his tape player with a cassette recording of Grandma playing her old upright piano, and a foam mattress.  Both boys were talking excitedly as they fixed up the bed with extra pillows and stuffed animals.  The bedroom did indeed look very inviting.  Our 8-year-old could hardly wait until nighttime to go to bed.

I was very pleased with our 10-year-old's efforts to help his younger brother break the habit of crawling into my husband's and my bed during the middle of the night.  Our youngest son wants to stay in his own bed all through the night, but when he awakens during the night, he gets a little frightened and comes into our bedroom.  Our 10-year-old thought that if his younger brother's bedroom was more comfortable, he wouldn't want to leave it.

This was quite a sacrifice on our oldest son's part because he is very sensitive.  He is the child who will throw up in a restaurant if he gets a bad piece of chicken.  His clothes have to be loose and baggy.  And, he usually sleeps on a bed that has a foam mattress on top of the regular mattress.  This part is what had me worried.

Sure enough, when nighttime arrived, reality did too.  Our youngest son eagerly got ready for bed and snuggled into his comfy-cozy bed... and his older brother came to me in tears.  He said that he couldn't sleep in his bed because it was too hard and lumpy.  I had to agree with him because we had bought it used and it certainly had its flaws.  I spread out a couple of soft blankets under the sheet to make it as comfortable as I could.

Through all of this, though, he never did ask to get his foam mattress back.  He had willingly given it up for the night and he knew that it would be wrong to ask that his younger brother give it back.

After tucking him in and giving him a goodnight kiss, I couldn't help thinking about his sacrifice.  I then got to comparing this to the ultimate sacrifice... how that Jesus willingly gave up the comforts of Heaven to come down and die a very painful and humiliating death on the cross so that we might be saved from our sins and be with Him in Heaven throughout all eternity.  Yes, sacrifice usually involves discomfort of some kind.  Of course, we feel good deep inside when we truly give up something for someone else, but sometimes there is also some kind of pain involved.  So, why do we do it?  Because of love... love for our fellowman and love for our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We, as Christians, desire to be Christ-like.

So, did our 10-year-old's plan work?  No.  I woke up this morning to a little 8-year-old sleeping next to me... again.  J

Continuing to make analogies to Jesus, I see that:

1.  Not everyone will accept or appreciate His sacrifice.  Yes, our youngest son had accepted his older brother's help, but he didn't fully appreciate what had been given up for him.  Likewise, some people in this world go on about their business and refuse to acknowledge the fact that Someone gave up His very life so that they might live forever.  They hear about Christ, but choose to ignore Him... or even scoff at Him.  And, here, He had actually died for them!

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:6-8)

2.  Those who do accept Christ's sacrifice will sometimes slip back into their old sinful habits.  We all have our weak moments.  If we are not careful, we could get drawn back into the ways of the world instead of following after Christ and His ways.  Jesus can give us the strength to overcome.

"I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me."  (Philippians 4:13)

This whole experience of our older son making such a sacrifice for his younger brother is actually a little unusual for him.   That is why I have been putting so much thought into it.  It really made me happy to see this.  And, just in case you're thinking that I've got this motherhood-thing all figured out and that I'm ready for retirement, this is how our conversation went today:

Mom (smiling):  I see you survived the night okay.  You know, that was a really nice thing that you did for your brother.

10-year-old:   Yeah, well, did you know that part of the deal was that he gets to sleep on it again tonight?

Mom (surprised):  No, I didn't know that.

10-year-old:  Yeah.  Because tomorrow is when you wash the sheets.  (Smiling)

So, even though a younger brother is worth sacrificing something for, HE STILL HAS GERMS!  J

~Connie~