“And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:15)

Sometimes, seated on soft cushioned seats in air-­conditioned sanctuaries, it is easy to suppose that others are essential to God’s purposes but our contributions are unnecessary or irrelevant. Nothing could be further from the truth.

On mission trips in foreign lands, where peculiar and out-­of‐the-ordinary is commonplace, each person is keenly aware that he or she is paramount to the success of the endeavor. But, in comfortable surroundings where life is jammed with routine responsibilities, our passionate pursuits can be tamed by the ordinary.

The men who blazed Christianity from the outside of the empty tomb to the far reaches of the Roman world were never accused of being mediocre or tame.

They recognized the urgency in being believers God could entrust with the message of reconciliation, through whom he could make his appeal. They continue to call to us through the pages of history and the Words of Scripture. “We make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:9-11).

Living for ourselves is easy. Nothing to it, really! However, the adventure of a lifetime belongs to those willing to risk obeying his voice through the clamor, those striving to reach places others only glimpse far, far ahead.