Sacrificial Luxury

Sacrificial Luxury

Theology in the Trenches

by Kathleen Kjolhaug

We have a home. It’s a relatively nice home…relatively speaking that is. In fact, now that you mention it, they used to live here…the relatives, that is. Three families used to live together on this homestead, so I guess you can say that everything is relative.

We fixed it up from days gone by to help meet the needs of our growing family. The enclosed front porch is now open so we might linger upon it in the evening. Closets were expanded, and the hardwood floors redone. Some rooms were combined to make more room and to top it all off, an addition was added.

However, from day one, what was missing was a bathroom. When I was first introduced to this house, the only functioning room for such things was an outhouse out back. Eventually, on account of us getting married and all, my husband decided to step it up a notch and get indoor plumbing, figuring I’d be more likely to say yes…is my best guess.

It must have worked cause here we are, thirty some years later on the family farm. The small area he’d sectioned off for our personal needs no longer functions as such. My best recall is that once we had a pile of kids, we made the move to expand the likes of such luxury to a different part of the house. Today, that room still stands as a symbol of sacrificial luxury.

Yup, sacrificial luxury was intentional on our part. When our adult children return and make mention that perhaps a solid investment would be to have another area for such purposes, we play deaf, we play broke, and we play the card that the next generation will also know sacrifice as they did growing up with six kids and one bathroom.

Why is sacrificial luxury important to us? Cause sacrifice is a word not often used these days. We just think it’s a good idea to learn to wait, share, clean up and clear out in a timely manner because there is someone else whose needs must to be considered. We call it considerate. But I call it my mini Peace Corps Camp for all who enter cause there’s a lesson to be learned from not having everything you’d like or everything you think you might need.

I was pondering how to process any complaints that might eventually come down the pipe, and soon upon me came the following idea. It was triggered from a post I recently saw on social media.

A friend (along with his wife and children) was traveling down the highway on a vacation of sorts. Soon, they were looking for someplace to stop as someone needed to use the restroom. As luck would have it, they happened upon a Porta-Potty sitting alongside the road on a trailer. Obviously, there was some disconnect as the sign read, “Not in Service.” Long story short, the road trip took a detour as directly across the road each family member did travel. It was quite a relief as you can imagine.

Needless to say, it sparked an idea within. We could resurrect the old outhouse outback and offer it as a place of respite for anyone in need. My best guess is that not many would take us up on it, but at least they’d have a choice. Privy to choice is always a motivator to be content with what is…rather than discontent with what isn’t.

Philippians 4:11-13 drives it home. “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Although content my children are most oft, the content of this may ruffle a feather or two…so let it be known that indeed I do know what good sports they truly are.  Amen.