"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."
I'm reminded of a song I used to listen to a lot, the lyrics go,
"They didn't love their lives so much as to shrink from death
Inspired in their foot steps we will march a head
Don't be shocked the people die
Be surprised you're still alive"
In my mind I'd think death from something, like a belief, would turn people away from it. But it truly does inspire us to march a head in their foot steps. The more people who lose their lives from following Christ, the more followers are gained by that act of faith. And I do truly find it inspiring.
I know in America we don't hear to much about this kind of thing happening on our own land, but I know it is very common in other countries. If not death then it's imprisonment. And this is actually something I have put quite a bit of thought into, and I have come to the conclusion that I would in fact be willing to lay my life down for the savior who laid his life down for me in the first place, and give him the rest of my days to do his work until he calls me home.
I know this also means laying down my life as I still walk on this earth, giving up maybe simple pleasures but they can be hard to give up none the less. For it is not my life in the first place, but God's, who saved my life with the blood of his Son. It is all I can do, no how little my life may seem, but it is all I can truly give back to the God who formed me in the first place.
Today I will continue to pray to God to help me die to myself and live for him.