Lessons from the season: Sacrifice as a financial management tool

The concept of sacrifice is not so far-fetched from everyday living and striving for greatness, as one must deliberately give up something of value to benefit something of more worth and importance. As relatable and easily acceptable as this might sound, many would prefer not to have a reason to let go, to have, or be more.

No matter how harsh, unexciting sacrifice is or the mixed feelings the word “sacrifice” erupts, the reality is there is no true success or impact without a certain amount of sacrifice. An anonymous quote further drives home the point. “Sacrifice: If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done”.

As a critical tenet and philosophy to greatness, sacrifice is glaring in our daily lives as we aspire to become better. It is also rooted in our religious beliefs as both the Muslim faithful and Christian believers promote the principles of sacrifice as a critical component of their faith.

Last week, Christians globally ended the Easter celebrations, an ebullient season commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a truly joyful period set aside in remembrance of the sacrifices of Jesus and its continuous impact on all that believes. This celebration was preceded by 40 days of fasting, otherwise known as Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Good Friday.

During this time, Christians elected to deliberately deny themselves food and drink to symbolise repentance and remembrance. After the sombre period of Lent, Christians then celebrate Easter to honour the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For many Christians, it signifies the triumph of Jesus Christ over the indomitability of death and the renewed hope of better days to come despite the present unsettling challenges.

For the Muslim faithful, this season is Ramadan, known as the holy month of fasting, which is dedicated to abstaining from desires, purging self from immediate gratification, instilling self-reflection, and inspiring virtuous and impactful living.

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The beauty in both celebrations for Christians and Muslims is the lessons gleaned from the sacrifice of one man and its ripple effect on humanity and its impact on everyday living.

Regardless of religion or faith, there are undoubtedly valuable life lessons to take from these seasons to improve one’s daily living and financial management skills. What lessons are there to learn about the season, and how can these be applied to daily lives?

The endgame of sacrifice is a reward.
Of all the learnings from the Lent and Ramadan seasons, perhaps the most important is sacrificing heralds life-changing rewards. This principle is fundamental because, more than anything, Easter is symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus, who deliberately laid down his life for the love and eternal salvation of humanity. The same applies to the Ramadan season as deliberate abstinence from physical gratification for a specified period to achieve a greater goal. It is the intentional and wilful denying of self, which includes wants, needs, or pleasure for a more satisfying or desired purpose. How then can we apply the lessons of sacrifice to our daily lives?

Some incredible rewards do not come easy
Sacrifices, by nature, are uncomfortable and daunting, and choosing to make them in our daily lives requires deliberately missing out on immediate gratifications for long-term benefits. This has varying implications from person to person. For example, to a student, making sacrifices could mean burning the night candle to study for an examination; the reward, of course, would be passing the said examinations with flying colours and its upside on a career journey. A professional on a quest for a stellar career would have to make certain sacrifices toward personal development and career advancement by sacrificing time and resources.

Sacrifice is a financial tool
In our daily financial decisions, making sacrificial choices involves consciously doing away with lavishness or frivolities by committing – or sacrificing – a fraction of our funds to savings plans and investments. This step is usually very uncomfortable and challenging because, for many people, money is hardly ever enough.

However, choosing to make any form of sacrifice is daunting and inconvenient, as we have seen in the story of Christ’s death and resurrection. On the other hand, the results are usually very fulfilling because, after extended, conscious personal deprivation, people can benefit from the maturity of their savings or return on investments.

As we reflect on these lessons, it is imperative to take actionable steps by saving sustainably for your future comfortability. If you are looking to save sustainably for your future comfort, we believe that the Leadway Pensure PFA retirement savings plan fits your needs. They are a trustworthy partner that offers a guaranteed accumulative payout benefit upon retirement or completion of the length of service stated in the terms and conditions of your employment.

So, we enjoin you to take a cue from the season and make that financial sacrifice today, and in the future, you will thank you for it.

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