Finding Freedom in Sacrifice & Couscous
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to be fully present in this moment.
Take a moment and reflect on what is meaningful for you about the 4th of July holiday. For many of us, words like freedom, independence, sacrifice, and peace may come to mind. Consider how your own personal freedom or peace has affected, or could affect, those around you.
The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice.
― Ernest Hemingway
Galatians 5:13
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Food for Thought
I joined the Marines in 2003 after my freshman year in college. A short time later in 2005, I found myself in the blistering heat of “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, a controversial title in some circles.
In 2012, I participated in a joint military training operation with the Moroccans in the Western Sahara desert. While there, moving all over the northwestern African coast and deep into the desert, we stopped for a day in a position that allowed us to see the Atlantic Ocean about a mile or so away. Between our position and the waves sat a small nomadic village of about 50 multi-colored makeshift tents. We sent a Humvee of Marines and an interpreter over to assure them that we were friendly, peaceful, and not an invading force to be feared. When the Humvee returned, they had sent it back to us with a homemade, desert-cooked meal, including a whole chicken cooked in a clay "tajine" sitting on top of a mound of cous-cous with carrots and other root vegetables and gourds. It was as if they were welcoming us as new neighbors to their current, but most likely temporary, neighborhood.
Having consumed only MRE's (Meals-Ready-To-Eat) for several days, their noble sacrifice was greatly appreciated. They provided our small group of Marines a sense of peace, not only in our bellies, but also in our souls. It was a meaningful and unexpected experience for us. We wanted them to know that we came in peace, only for them to send back what seemed to be a one-up. An offering of sacrificial generosity to make us feel welcome.
Still on active duty today, I serve in a much different, but very specific, role helping wounded, ill, and injured Marines readjust to civilian life after their own service to our country. Some of the Marines I assist have sacrificed incredibly more than most realize, visible or not. Some have lost limbs or their vision. Nearly all continue to struggle with mental health, substance abuse, family issues, divorce, and are simply searching for peace and freedom in their own lives. Sitting knee to knee over a cup of coffee with these Marines is both rewarding and taxing at times - but almost always brings unexpected moments of peace for us both. It is strange - though I am there to offer guidance in hopes of pushing them closer to a sense of freedom and peace, I am often indirectly granted both through their stories and their selflessness.
Sacrifice precedes freedom - freedom to speak, freedom to feel, freedom to hope, freedom to be. Only then comes peace. This week, think about someone who yearns for that hope, for freedom, and for peace. Reach out to them. Sacrifice something for them. Sacrifice. Freedom. Peace. These things are not linear, they’re cyclical. They’re rooted in our willingness to see honestly the needs of another and to respond with vulnerability of friendship and sacrificial offerings of selflessness - perhaps something as simple as sitting knee to knee over coffee or a desert-cooked meal of chicken and couscous.
Sacrifice can take many forms. Sometimes it is just a small act of giving, and other times it can be a large commitment. Find a way this week that you can sacrifice for the sake of another - maybe it is doing an extra chore around the house, maybe it's a financial gift, maybe it is being present for someone who is having a hard time.
Consider researching organizations in your community that provide services to veterans, and see how you might be able to connect or volunteer your time there. Or reach out to a veteran you know to share a moment of friendship, to listen to their stories, or to offer your gratitude for their experiences.
Blessing
God of sacrifice, freedom and peace.
Remind us that freedom can seem far off for some,
and may look different through the eyes of another.
Help us to seek ways that we can sacrifice
for the sake of bringing others peace.
A little Table Talk for your table...
Discuss what freedom means to you, and list ways you have experienced freedom.
Talk about ways your own personal freedom or peace has affected those around you.
Has there been a time when someone else’s sacrifice offered you a sense of peace?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
Talk together about what freedom and peace mean to them.
List ways that we can sacrifice for one another - maybe offering to help during clean-up time or sharing a snack with a friend.
Share a time when someone sacrificed something for you. How did that make you feel?
Meet our Welcoming Voice!
Justin Grubb is a proud North Carolina native. He studied criminology at Western Carolina University and is currently working on his 18th year in the United States Marine Corps. Justin serves on active duty as a DISC with the Wounded Warrior Regiment, helping wounded Marines adjust to civilian life post service. He currently lives in Nashville, TN with his wife, daughter and three pups. When he isn't spending time with his family, he enjoys reading and coaching Crossfit and olympic weightlifting.
To hear more from Justin throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!