It is said more than once, "He who loves his life will loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." How is it that we are to "hate" our life? The life which God has given us?
In John 12, Jesus speaks these words as he announces to his listeners, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." Jesus knows that striving for personal gain does nothing to extend life. The life which God has given us is intended to be lived in a particular way.
Some will be called upon to die. There are places, there are situations in which God's servants are silenced. We should never forget (and continually pray) for those who are persecuted for the faith.
All of us will find ourselves in situations where we know a correcting word needs to be spoken. But out of fear of critique or insult, we will remain silent. "It is their business," we tell ourselves. Sometimes, our failure to speak up will cost them the life God has given them.
I read the Greenville News article about restrictions on Greek activities for the remainder of the semester because of repeated incidents involving alcohol. Punitive measures will have little effect. Any change will come only as we change culture. I think we (those associated with Lutheran Campus Ministry) might be in an ideal spot to bring that change. We are not among the expressions of Christianity which see all alcohol consumption as wrong. We enjoy our beer, our wine. But, we know the wrong associated with abuse. We can speak of balance and label abuse for what it is - abuse.
Speaking up against prevailing culture will bring insults. But, the little that we lose now will do much to save us (and our peers) into the future.
Don't be shy about condemning binge drinking, getting drunk, or the peer pressure to place oneself in danger.
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