What's Missing In Inspirational Words?

"Inspiration for 2015" was the the title of the calendar buried underneath the seven months of neglect piled on my desk. Twelve photos of adventurous locations with sportsmen engaged in extreme activities were setting the illustration for each month's  inspirational one word headline. The calendar used the words ambition, strategy, leadership, excellence, integrity, energy, precision, teamwork, vision, execution, and inspiration all aimed at keeping people focused on achieving success. A caption followed every headline highlighting the importance of each motivational word.  Yet no matter how success is measured, one word was missing. Sacrifice.
Whether the religious or metaphoric sense of the word, a sacrifice is giving up something for the sake of something else. Little can be achieved without sacrifice. It unlocks the full potential of every human gift. Sacrifice separates greatness from mediocrity while bridging victory to those still defeated.  Even the gift of love's ultimate token, is sacrifice. Nothing can be more inspiring.
Our souls yearn for sacrifice. We crave it so much it lines the pages of our favorite novels and finds its way into of our art, music, and films. Sacrifice transforms all the words of my calendar into "service". Perhaps, the soul knows its addiction to self can only be cured by sacrifice.
Although we all seem to know we need sacrifice,  many aren't sure what to sacrifice or to whom. Ironically, many think the Christian life is too much of a sacrifice. As if, they are missing out on something. Other than regrets all "Christian sacrifices" amount to quantity. I have no problem sacrificing quantity for quality. Sadly, most of humanity's sacrifices are offerings to the gods of self worth, preservation, and acceptance.  But, once a man got sacrifice absolutely right. Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13  
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. Bloody, broken, and neglected He was buried under a pile of our ambition, He died to save us. However, He would rise to illustrate our lives with an adventure. Now, you can make a sacrifice for any god, but I bet you can't find another God who will make a sacrifice for you. Happy Easter.