II. THE LIVING SACRIFICE
The Coquito palm of Chile is a tree about fifty feet in height, with a spreading crown of leaves. From its trunk a syrup is obtained called miel de palma, which is much esteemed by the Chileans and foreigners in cookery. This syrup is obtained by cutting down the tree, and lopping off its crown of leaves, when the sap flows from the wound, and is carefully collected. By cutting off a fresh slice from the wound daily, or when the flow of sap becomes weak, it may be kept flowing for several months. A good tree is said to yield as much as ninety gallons of sap, which on being boiled down assumes the consistency of treacle or molasses.
Here we have a beautiful and fitting illustration of the daily and living sacrifice of a palm tree saint. If the righteous flourish like the palm tree, might it not be well to emulate this peculiar characteristic? When Paul admonished the Roman Christians to present their "bodies a living sacrifice," he did not mean for them simply to obtain the blessing of holiness and then stop and thereafter settle down and enjoy themselves. He meant not only a sacrifice to be offered up at the given time, but to remain offered up. Our sacrifice is to remain a living sacrifice. The Christian life is one sacrificed to God's cause for the sake of glorifying God and being used in His service. The very word sacrifice means something offered up in devotion. Then if it is offered up to another, can we claim it as our own? If we are to be like this peculiar palm, then we are ready to be "poured forth" as Paul said he was to the Philippians. Here is this sacrificed palm, with its very life poured out from day to day for the benefit of humanity. And this is kept up till there remains nothing but the trunk. Oh, what a symbol of the constant, daily outpouring of one's life and strength for the benefit of a lost world! Look at David Brainerd, David Livingstone, Henry Martyn, yea, thousands of faithful men and women missionaries who have literally poured out their lives, and died for their fellow-men.
The sacrifice element in the Christian life is further illustrated in another kind of palm known as the Cabbage palm. The terminal bud, or "cabbage," is enclosed among many thin, snow-white, brittle flakes. It has the flavor of the almond, but of greater sweetness, and is boiled and eaten with meat. As its removal causes the death of the tree, it is regarded as an extravagant delicacy only rarely to be enjoyed.
Here we find the illustration of the martyr element of the palm tree saint. Paul said, "I am now ready to be offered." Stephen gave himself a living sacrifice to God, and right away lost his life. The martyrs are numbered by thousands. Is not this an extravagant method of spreading the gospel? It may be from a human standpoint, but God in His infinite wisdom can see beyond our shortsightedness, and permits such to be. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." If there were more persecution today there would doubtless be a better type of Christians. We should possess the martyr spirit. The word "witness" in the original is martyr. And surely many of those early Christians proved it. Every consecrated soul should involve in his consecration the possibility of losing his life for Jesus; then, if he ever faces the issue, he is prepared for it, and if he never has to face such an issue, he might consider it so much clear gain.