Christian Living

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Sacrifice Of Love
©
by

Stephen A. Peterson


In 1942, there was a young girl, Jeannerosa Harjo, who lived in Sasakwa, Oklahoma. Jeannerosa was generally a happy girl with not a care in the world even as World War II raged throughout the world. Jeannerosa had a special friend—a purple martin. In spite of her good nature and kind disposition, Jeannerosa hardly had any friends possibly because she was poor, lived in the country and not very pretty. However, the purple martin and Jeannerosa became inseparable friends.

Jeannerosa loved the purple martin so much that she built the bird a house putting the wooden house on a high pole in her backyard. She also provided her new found friend with insects she trapped for food and a bird bath in an area safe from predators. In a short time, the purple martin came to love Jeannerosa and would follow her wherever she would go even to school.

While attending classes, Jeannerosa met a young man, Don Tiger, a classmate. Throughout the course of the school year, Jeannerosa came to highly regard Don because he was kind, merciful, compassionate, forgiving and was always seen smiling and appeared happy. Throughout the school year, Jeannerosa and Don would meet and talking during lunch. As the end of the school year neared meant the school dance was soon to come. All Jeannerosa could think about at that point was how she would love going to the dance with don. Jeannerosa gathered up every ounce of courage she could muster to hint to Don how she would love going to the dance with him. Don, an outstanding student and basketball star, was very popular. He saw no problem with talking with Jeannerosa during lunch but taking her out to the biggest dance of the year now that was a different story! Don could not bring himself to say “no” to Jeannerosa. He decided to take her to the dance and give her the most expensive flower he could find if she would agree to dance with the other boys and not bother him. Don’s proposal so hurt Jeannerosa that she nearly cried right there.

Feeling sorry for herself, Jeannerosa did not even notice her friend. The purple martin hovered down to greet her but Jeannerosa never acknowledged her friend’s presence. Within a few minutes, the purple martin could tell that Jeannerosa was very troubled. The little bird flew around Jeannerosa’s head then landed on her shoulder.

“Little bird, my friend, my heart is troubled and in pain. A boy I really like does not want to take me to the dance and be with me as his date,” as Jeannerosa began to cry.

Going back to its bird house, the little purple martin walked around its spacious home trying to come up with a way to help its beloved friend, Jeannerosa. After pacing its house all night, the little purple martin came up with the perfect gift—a white rose.

Going back to its bird house, the little purple martin left the bird house early that morning and lifted itself high above the clouds. It flew the breadths and lengths of Oklahoma in search of the biggest most beautiful white rose it could find. After several hours of searching, the little bird spied the biggest most beautiful white rose among a large flower garden in nearby Muskogee. The single white rose was surrounded by thorn bearing red roses that seemed to protect it. But the little bird’s love for its friend, the desire to ease her broken heart and make Jeannerosa cheerful and whole again motivated the purple martin to dive in to pick the flower for her. The purple martin entered the rose grove against the razor sharp thorns. With great pain, the little bird experienced pricks and cutting to its body as it worked the white rose from the bush. Mortally injured the purple martin took off then returned to Sasakwa.

As Jeannerosa prepared to go to school, she noticed a big beautiful white rose on her window sill. Thinking it was secretly left there by Don, Jeannerosa picked up the rose never noticing the lifeless body of the little purple martin on the ledge of the bird house in a pool of blood.

Happy as she could be Jeannerosa hurried to school. Before she arrived at school, a group of girls, numbering about a dozen, asked Jeannerosa to come be a part of their group. “Wow,” thought Jeannerosa. “I think I finally got acceptance by a group of girls. Look who is in this group—Jennifer Chavez, Britney Swartz, Madonna Speizo! It’s an elite group of girls! Wow!”

Jeannerosa’s first thought was, “I’d love to go to the dance with Don. But Don wasn’t even interested in being with me. Should I get in with this group? If I say “no”, I’d miss a great opportunity to have some really great friends.” Jeannerosa looked at the rose then looked at the smiling group of girls. “Oh, well, I can’t throw away this opportunity of these girls’ friendship. They’re all very pretty, come from wealthy families, have great looking cars and have a lot of money.”

Jeannerosa left the white rose on a bicycle rack and became friends with the wealthy, beautiful girls who assured her that she made the right decision.

The purple martin represents Jesus Christ who took great lengths to come reside in our house, leave heaven to sacrifice Himself on behalf of humankind. Jeannerosa represents humankind who struggles to find and hold onto truth. The white rose is Jesus’ gift of truth and life to humankind having sacrificed Himself on our behalf. To do what humankind could not do for itself. Don is eternal life that seem elusive to humankind at times. The group of wealthy, beautiful girls represents the devil, the world and the flesh which constantly works to entice humankind to lose sight of its true prize—eternal life. The bird house Jesus’ Cross. Muskogee was where he went to lead humankind back on the road to eternal life if humankind is willing to believe.

This little story was designed to help you understand and realize the great gift you may be ignoring or fail to notice. May you read and know that Jesus, the Son of the Living God, loves you unconditionally! He asked so little but He gives and gave so much!! You may come to Him as you are. He requires nothing special—just YOU!

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