In Acts 20:35, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, states, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 9:7, states, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” During the Christmas season, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is essential that we remain ever mindful that our Heavenly Father revealed His heart to all of humanity by way of giving us His greatest gift; “For God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If we examine John 3:16 closely, we will see that we are presented with a gift within a gift; essentially two gifts: Jesus Christ and everlasting life. Indeed, such gifts were given unto us with a purity of heart, and our hearts are to be reflected in a likewise manner when we give unto others.
Beloved, to look into the heart of the giver is to engage in an act of self-reflection. It is an opportunity for us to take an introspective look into the state of our hearts. In the beginning of January 2022, New Year's Day to be exact, I was blessed with such an opportunity. I prayed to the Lord and asked for the gift of healing, and I prayed continuously for this particular gift. Certainly, I did not know how or when this gift would manifest or if it would be manifested at all. Nevertheless, I remained faithful unto the Lord with my prayers; for as it states in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we are to “pray without ceasing.” Although I was not aware of it at the time, I was being prepared to look into the heart of the giver; that is to say, my heart was being prepared to offer up a sacrifice; one that would involve one of my own body parts. In effect, I would become the answer to my own prayer: to receive the gift of healing.
Fast forward to May of 2022, when my friend, and now blood brother for life, Leon Person, received news from his doctor that it would be at least eight years before he would be called to receive a kidney; and this was not a guarantee. By this time, Leon had already been on dialysis for two years. Moreover, Leon was also suffering from other health complications, and without a kidney, death was bound to be knocking at his door. Indeed, the news that he had received from his doctor was not encouraging, and not surprisingly, my brother began to feel depressed as he was without hope. Thanks be to God, the Lord placed within my heart the faithfulness to press on and inquire about my blood type.
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Certainly, I was unaware of what lay ahead. Nevertheless, I remained steadfast and immovable in my faith. Upon learning that my blood type is universal, I took that as a sign that the Lord was preparing Leon and myself both for a miracle; indeed, a miraculous healing was underway. Ultimately, what would solidify my decision to donate one of my kidneys was seeing the expression on my brother’s face while he was in the presence of his three grandchildren; that was the happiest that I had ever seen Leon. Therefore, it was my observation of this experience that left such an indelible impression on my heart. Certainly, the Lord was making it clear that He was answering my prayer. Thus, on November 17, 2022, the decisive moment had arrived, as my body was offered up as a living sacrifice, thereby saving the life of my brother. Thankfully, the kidney transplant operation was a success; however, the surgery was not without a cost.
In Luke 14:28, Jesus Christ speaks on counting the cost. The cost of sacrificing one of my kidneys included the following: being in surgery for seven hours, being on medical restrictions for seven weeks, and being out of work for the same length of time. Despite the cost of my body being sacrificed, I count it all gain, as it is a blessing to be a blessing unto others. Certainly, such an experience was manifested at this time as my brother, Leon, was given an extension on his life. In the days following the kidney transplant, Leon stated the following: “No one has ever loved me like you. I love you for life, my brother.” Such an expression of gratitude made my sacrifice worthwhile. Moreover, the experience of being used as a sacrifice serves as a catalyst for what is needed in the African-American community.
It is a tragedy that African-Americans are more at risk for kidney failure than any other race. According to the American Kidney Fund, “More than 1 in 3 kidney failure patients living in the United States are African-Americans. Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure. It causes nearly half of all cases of kidney failure in the United States.” Indeed, this is a grim statistic. Thankfully, this statistic is reversible; and the solution to reversing this destructive trend can be found among ourselves. Thus, it has been impressed upon Leon and myself to initiate a healing ministry; one that involves a kidney donor registry (both living and nonliving) among the members of the A.M.E. Zion denomination; this healing ministry should also include a registry of blood and stem cell donors. The potential for lives being saved is virtually endless as the wait time to receive a kidney would be dramatically reduced; no longer would it be necessary to rely upon a national registry. Given that such a ministry does not exist, it is incumbent upon Leon and myself to lead by example, thereby planting the seed that will perpetuate the sustainability of life. Ultimately, a ministry of healing is cultivated by the virtue of love; for it was love that motivated me to be my brother’s keeper. As the Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” When we look into the heart of the giver, we should find love and act accordingly.
DAVID BURTON IS A LOCAL PREACHER AT MT. HOPE A.M.E. ZION CHURCH & FULL-TIME MDIV. STUDENT AT HOOD SEMINARY
LEON PERSON IS A MEMBER OF MT. HOPE A.M.E. ZION
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