Today I attended a leadership summit where the opening session was entitled “A vision to die for,” presented on video by church leader Bill Hybels. He was challenging us on the subject of “owning” a vision, and leading in such a way that allows others to become “owners” of our vision, rather than just “hirlings,” as Jesus called those who get going as soon as the going gets tough.

I must confess I am not fully up to speed on Burma politics, but like millions of others I’ve had a TV-news crash-course these past few days. I’ve also been given a crash-course reminder of what it means to have “a vision to die for.” Hats off for the buddist monks and civilians willing to riks their lives for their rights to freedom and democracy. Today we saw an amateur video clip showing the moment when the Japanese news reporter  was shot dead while trying to cover the story from the street.  He gave his life for his cause. a dozen or so monks have given their lives for their cause.

May I and the church be found on the streets of our world with “a vision to die for…”

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. – Jesus, Matthew 10:39