"Freely ye have received, freely give." There is a specific context to these words, but what Jesus said has a broader meaning to me. Sometimes we are up, sometimes we are down. In other words, "Sometimes we have to give, and sometimes we are in need of a gift. But giving is not only a Christian thing to do, it's a human thing to do.
When the subject of giving comes up, our first thought is usually money. The American way to solve a problem is usually to throw money at it. And sometimes that is what is most needed, and so is the appropriate thing to do. Sometimes, however, money cannot buy what is really needed.
This is never more true than when it comes to giving blood.
Here are some facts about blood, and donating blood:
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Anyone in good health, at least 17 years of age, and at least 110 pounds may donate whole blood every 56 days.
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4.5 million American lives are saved each year by blood transfusion.
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Someone needs blood every 3 seconds.
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One out of ten hospital patients needs blood.
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Three lives are saved by one pint of donated blood.
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You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood.
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60% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood - only 5% do.
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There is no substitute for human blood.
The older I get the more outspoken I become on donating blood, and I believe I have good reason for being so.
The place where I give blood (Carter Blood Care) hands out T-shirts and other items with phrases on them encouraging blood donation. A mouse pad I got from them says, "Give Blood. Save Lives. It's that simple, that important." That's what it's about. Giving something you can sacrifice, to someone who needs it to live. But, for me, it goes much deeper than that.
In Leviticus 17:11, it says "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Ponder that for a moment. Our life is in our blood. And blood given sacrificially is for atonement for the soul. Am I reaching?
Then consider what Jesus said in John 15:13: "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Isn't this what a person does when he gives blood (life)? Okay, it's true that when I give blood I don't fear for my life. However, as I watch my own blood pour out of my body for another human being, I always get a glimpse of Jesus Christ on the cross pouring out his blood for all mankind. This is one moment I feel very close to my Saviour.
Perhaps, I'm making more of this than I should. Believe me, I don't put myself on the same plane as those who have died while being persecuted for their faith, nor with those who die trying to save another person's life. But until I am called to do something like that, giving blood is one thing I can do that I believe Jesus would have us to do.
So, what about you? Are you giving blood? There are some circumstances that exclude people from giving blood, but remember, 60% of the population can give, but only 5% do. And even if you can’t donate your blood, there are other things you can do to encourage others to donate. For instance, you could organize a blood drive where you work.
When you donate blood, the attendant, when ready to insert the needle, will say something like, “Now you’re going to feel a stick and a sting.” I know a lot of people have an aversion to needles, and blanch at this point. Keep in mind, however, that someone needs your blood to live. Isn’t it worth overcoming the fear and discomfort for something so important? Besides, would you refuse the needle insertion if you were the one receiving the transfusion?
Perhaps you have had a bad experience while donating blood. Unfortunately it doesn’t always go well. In 33 years of donating blood, I have only had 2 experiences that were bad enough to even remember. But after such an experience, it is harder to donate again. All I can say is, “If a horse throws you, you need to get right back on.”
Besides the good feeling you will have after doing such a noble deed, there are physical benefits to giving blood. Before donating, you receive a “mini-physical” where they take your blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and iron level. Also, your bone marrow is constantly replenishing your circulatory system with red blood cells, which live about 120 days in your system. Donating blood stimulates this process, and helps to keep it in good working order.
One other benefit to donating, is that you can build credit at the blood bank for you and your family members which can be exchanged for blood should you ever need to have a transfusion.
Even after reading this article, I know many of you will never donate blood. If you make this choice, I only ask that you find another way to give. Give of yourself, something that costs you. Something that makes you feel a “stick and a sting”. Someday you’ll need someone to do that for you.
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