Have you ever thought about how blood works; or maybe in fact, what is it? Often times, we think of blood as the “red stuff” that is inside us and if we hurt ourselves, it comes flowing out. Actually, it’s a type of “stuff” that is perhaps, the most amazing thing about and in us. Down to its microscopic level, red blood cells are cells of the human body. One amazing fact about it is that it’s a type of connective tissue, a group of cells that work together to perform a function.
Now, follow a red blood cell beginning in the heart. It flows into the lungs to pick up oxygen and then travels to the many different parts of your body. When you look at the main purpose of blood, its job is to give oxygen and nutrients to other cells they come in contact with so that they may be replenished to make more energy. In exchange, the surrounding cells give the red blood cells their waste and carbon dioxide. Its pretty a simple take and give relationship.
This may be silly, but imagine this with me: This may be obvious, but as the red blood cells take oxygen to the other cells, it needs something to fuel it as it continues on its journey. What if the red blood cell used some of the oxygen it carried to help it along its route? By the time the red blood cell would reach the cells of the toes, it would have used up all of the oxygen it carried just to keep it moving. The toes cells would in fact complain by this time in its demand for fresh 02! The resulting fact would be unhappy toe cells! Something extraordinary about the red blood cell is that it does not use any oxygen at all to be powered. It actually uses a process called anaerobic respiration, a process that creates energy without oxygen. In addition to all of its capabilities, blood is also shaped in a biconcave manner to maximize on the surface area to carry as much oxygen as possible. It’s made up of millions of proteins called hemoglobin, which holds the oxygen molecules.
To sum it up, everything about the red blood cell functions to give. From its physical characteristics to its oxygen enhancing attributes, its sole purpose is to serve and give. In light of a spiritual context, we are called as Christians to do likewise. It’s practically “in our blood” to do so — pun intended. Jesus Himself said, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Whether its possessions, position, or our life, we too are to follow in our Savior’s example. What are you holding on to today friend that you can’t give to God? He gave us all, what is there left to withhold from Him? “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
Hung Vo
