Reflections on sacrifice, faithfulness and transformation 

From an article by Business as Mission

Mats Tunehag is the Chairman of BAM Global, and he is a global thought leader on Business as Mission, BAM. He was asked recently to reflect on the idea of “transformational sacrifice”. What do sacrifice and transformation mean in a Jewish-Christian tradition; our roots and context? What follows is an abridged reflection on the topic:

Sacrifice is not merely loss, but a voluntary, costly act for God and the common good that can become transformational. Sacrifice is described as intentional rather than accidental; it is something willingly given up for a higher purpose.

Across both Jewish and Christian traditions, despite changes in how sacrifice has been understood before and after the Jerusalem temple and before and after Christ, some constants remain: sacrifice is for God, involves real cost, and may lead to deep change.

One needs to distinguish between true sacrifice and empty ritual. While sacrifice can reflect love, justice, mercy, and service, it is not automatically good. Biblical prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Micah condemned sacrifice when it became hollow religious performance disconnected from justice and concern for the poor. Genuine sacrifice must be covenantal and relational, linked to God’s purposes and expressed through justice, mercy, and love.

A major theme is that sacrifice can be transformational, both internally and externally. It may change the one sacrificing, the surrounding circumstances, or both. These transformations can be spiritual, moral, relational, social, political, economic, or cultural. Examples range from parents sacrificing comfort for children, to entrepreneurs risking security, to missionaries leaving familiarity to serve others. Yet sacrifice does not guarantee immediate visible results; its effects may emerge much later, even generations afterward.

Several biblical examples illustrate this point. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac transformed his trust in God and had lasting generational significance. Joseph’s story shows how even an evil or fraudulent “sacrifice” can be redeemed by God: though Joseph’s brothers intended harm, God used the situation for good, preserving many lives and restoring a broken family.

Historical Christian examples further support the argument. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s resistance to Nazism and his execution embodied “costly grace” and influenced later Christian thought on discipleship, ethics, and resisting evil. William Wilberforce and other abolitionists sacrificed wealth and status in the long struggle against the slave trade, helping transform laws and societies. Martin Luther King Jr. is another model of sacrificial endurance: his suffering and eventual death during the civil rights movement helped expose injustice and contributed to lasting changes in public attitudes and legislation.

Sacrifice is not a cost-benefit calculation but an expression of faithfulness to God, mission, and calling. Sacrifice is not transactional— “I give so that you give” or “quid pro quo” thinking — but relational. In life with God, one does not sacrifice to secure favors, but out of trust and covenant relationship.

This leads into a discussion of the Greek concepts of chronos and kairos. Chronos refers to chronological, measurable time, where people plan, work, and act faithfully. Kairos refers to the right or opportune moment, often associated with God’s intervention. Believers are called to be faithful in chronos - working with professionalism, excellence, and integrity - while trusting God for kairos moments of deeper impact. Daniel and his friends are examples of this faithful long-term service leading to transformative moments.

How does these ideas apply Business as Mission (BAM)? BAM aims to create business solutions to major global problems for God’s glory, the gospel, and the common good. While this is commendable, this should not be approached with a Western, triumphalist mindset - arriving with money, connections, and technical fixes to solve others’ problems. Instead, there should be an incarnational model of presence, rooted in Jesus dwelling among people rather than simply “fixing” everything. True transformation often requires presence, relationship, patience, and time. Therefore, the sacrifices required in BAM may include giving up speed, control, self-confidence in one’s own solutions, and impersonal strategies in order to offer faithful, relational presence instead.

Read the full article here.

See also:
Avoiding white saviourism
Why we struggle to share power