During the Great Depression, a Missouri man named Don Griffith controlled the railroad drawbridge across the Mississippi River. In the summer of 1937, he took his eight-year-old son, Greg, to work with him. At noon, he put the bridge up to allow ships their passage. Enjoying the presence of his son, he lost track of time. At 1:07, he was startled by the Memphis Express blowing its whistle in the distance. He dashed to the controls and prepared to lower the bridge.
Just before releasing the master lever, he panicked as he caught sight of his son. His son had slipped from the observation deck, and now he had his leg caught in the cogs of the main gears. Griffith quickly thought of a plan to rescue his boy, but there was no time. The express train carrying four hundred passengers was bearing down on the bridge. Saving his son would cost the lives of the passengers.
In anguish, Don Giffith threw the lever and watched his son die in the cogs of the gears. His son’s death spared the lives of all the passengers on the train. As they sped by, great heartache followed as a numb Griffith stared into the windows of the speeding train. He saw passengers reading their newspapers and sipping coffee in the dining car – oblivious to the price that had been paid to save their lives. No one even looked his way to acknowledge his great sacrifice and overwhelming grief. Through tear-stained eyes, he screamed at the top of his voice to the passing train, “I sacrificed my son for you people! Don’t you even care?”
Sacrificial love costs. Sacrificial love gives – and keeps giving.
Mary stood and watched, in disbelief and anguish, as her Son was slaughtered like a lamb. His death had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah: “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isa. 53:7)
Just before releasing the master lever, he panicked as he caught sight of his son. His son had slipped from the observation deck, and now he had his leg caught in the cogs of the main gears. Griffith quickly thought of a plan to rescue his boy, but there was no time. The express train carrying four hundred passengers was bearing down on the bridge. Saving his son would cost the lives of the passengers.
In anguish, Don Giffith threw the lever and watched his son die in the cogs of the gears. His son’s death spared the lives of all the passengers on the train. As they sped by, great heartache followed as a numb Griffith stared into the windows of the speeding train. He saw passengers reading their newspapers and sipping coffee in the dining car – oblivious to the price that had been paid to save their lives. No one even looked his way to acknowledge his great sacrifice and overwhelming grief. Through tear-stained eyes, he screamed at the top of his voice to the passing train, “I sacrificed my son for you people! Don’t you even care?”
Sacrificial love costs. Sacrificial love gives – and keeps giving.
Mary stood and watched, in disbelief and anguish, as her Son was slaughtered like a lamb. His death had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah: “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isa. 53:7)
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