“I had Guardians of the Galaxy playing in the shop over the holidays. If you have Disney+ or another way to watch the film, fast forward to 1 hour and 38 minutes—that’s where the scene begins.

The Guardians are defending the galaxy when their ship begins to crash. Groot, the tree-like character, starts to transform, growing into a cocoon that protects the others as the ship goes down.

As the process unfolds, Rocket pleads with him:

Rocket: No, Groot! You can’t. You’ll die. Why are you doing this?
Groot: “We are Groot.”

For context, Groot’s only line in the entire film is “I am Groot.” This is the one time he says “we.” And for reasons I can’t fully explain, that line stopped me in my tracks.

Groot sacrifices himself for the good of his friends. The collective mattered more than the individual. Isn’t that what we’re called to do as Christians—to sacrifice, in big and small ways, for the good of others?

Most of us won’t make heroic, cinematic sacrifices. But our daily lives give us countless opportunities for smaller ones: paying it forward at the coffee shop, remembering a birthday with a card, giving to the Salvation Army outside Walmart or Dillons, or choosing not to reply to a foolish comment on social media.

When Groot says “We,” he reminds me of the wisdom of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who taught us: “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice… doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

“We are Groot” might sound like an odd mantra—but it’s a powerful reminder to live with love, humility, and a heart for others.”