Would You Die For This?

For what or who would you die? That's a disarming question. I recently read of a business expert serving as a consultant for a company. He helped them to come up with a mission statement and a vision for fulfilling that mission. (Mission and vision statements have been the rage in business for some time. Churches are kind of johnny-come-latelies in utilizing them.) The consultant led the company through a retreat-type experience in which they examined the company's core values and common aims. They brainstormed, word-smithed, trail-ballooned and did all the things that groups do to create mission and vision. Finally they had a mission statement and vision that created a fair amount of collective enthusiasm. In the midst of mutual congratulations over the achievement, the consultant looked at the final product and asked the disarming question.

"Would you die for this?" Stunned silence followed. Work for it, promote it, support it...but die for it?!?

It's one thing to get excited about mission and vision. It's a whole other matter to pay a price for it. Two millenia ago a small group of people embraced a vision of making Jesus-followers of themselves and all people. They didn't just rally around something with popularity and momentum. They saw their mission as something for which to die, and thousands of them did. And, in spite of all sociological, economic, and politic indicators otherwise, their movement would not die.

For what would you and I die? Not a pleasant thought, perhaps...but maybe a centrally needed thought. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.