Part I: Giving out Blood – Will it make me weaker? Is there a benefit ? Or would it just ruin my body?

Part I: Giving out Blood
I am 37 years old, a Christian, and I admit, that for the past 37 years of my life, I haven't donated a single drop of my blood.

But why?

First, because I have a great dislike for needles, specially those big scary ones.


Second, I do have fear in blood, I am not used to seeing blood, it makes me vomit and turns my stomach upside down.

Third, I’ m afraid that if blood is drawn from my body, it would weaken me, drop my immune system and dried me up just like those zombies in horror movies.

Fourth, I am a Manny Pacquiao fanatic (not the Manny Pacquiao at UNTV 37).  And what is Pacquiao's connection with what I’m trying to say ? Simple. Remember, Pacquiao was supposed to fight Mayweather, but it didn't materialize because Mayweather and his cohorts demanded an Olympic-style random blood testing in which Pacquiao rejected because drawing blood very close to the day of the fight would disrupt him, and getting blood during the day of the fight would weaken him. This statement coming from Pacquiao himself who is a great athlete has further reinforced my belief.

But then one day, while I was watching a Bible Exposition hosted by Bro. Eli Soriano, one of the guests who is a member of a known international religious group asked if blood transfusion is really against the Bible’s teaching as claimed by their leaders. While Bro. Eli was answering the question, I was astonished by one of the verses that he used, the verse says that “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13. And then Bro. Eli was saying, “blood is life, if you give your life (blood) to those who needs life (blood), then Greater love has no man than this”.

It does make sense, because, first, I thought that I have to die physically for a fellow human being in order to posses such great love.

Then I realize, I can give life to those who need it without having to die literally, and not only achieve the greatest love that a man can possess, but most importantly, I will be able to follow one of God’s greatest commandments.

The verse has totally changed my perception. I have known the importance of giving blood as a Christian and as a follower of God.

Afraid of needles?

But now, my next problem is that I am afraid of the needles? How am I going to overcome this fear?

Again, the Bible never ceases for an answer. I know for a fact that Jesus died on the cross and gave His own blood, but what I failed to notice is the parallelism. Jesus gave His blood on God’s will; it is the will of both the Father and the Son as both of them are one in Spirit. If we examine it closely, Jesus voluntarily gave His own blood to give life to the sinners. If we give or donate blood, we are in fact giving life, and we are following Jesus’ example. However, the manner in which the blood was drawn from Jesus was not done using needles, but instead by hanging Him on the cross and pounding Him with sharp object to His heart until His blood burst out. Not to mention that blood was also taken out from His head, again not via needles but by thorns in a form of a crown.

Pondering about it makes me say that, I’d rather be seated in a chair with the needles inserted in my arm on top of the table than hanging on the cross with thorns crowned in my head and a spear tucked in my heart.

Now, are we ready to posses the greatest love of all with the help and grace of God? All it takes is a little needle and a Faith as small as a mustard seed.

Part II of this blog will discuss the incredible benefits of donating blood or giving life, and of course, its parallelism in the Bible.