We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10, NIV)

Some thoughts from NT Wright:

 If you want to see resurrection at work here and now, in your own life, you have to be prepared to see crucifixion at work as well. And if the Corinthians want an apostle who is living by the gospel he proclaims—Paul isn’t sure that they do want this, but they ought to!—then they must look for these signs. Don’t look, in other words, for a showy, flashy rhetorical presentation which leaves the problems and sufferings of the world to someone else. Look for someone who is being given over to death for the sake of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may be revealed even in their mortal humanity.¹

¹ Wright, T. (2004). Paul for Everyone: 2 Corinthians (p. 45). London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

American Christianity too often looks for the “flash,” the “show”, something that will draw our emotions and awe and attention. A crowd has to be there.

This isn’t the way of Christ. The way of Christ is the cross. Bearing the cross daily. Dying daily. Allowing the glory of Christ to shine through our cracked clay jars.

Day by day I am facing battles that call out my deepest allegiances. I too often refuse the way of the cross. The way forward in our culture and our chaotic times is through DEATH. Death of our egos. Death of our pride.

We don’t need people with flash and show and big platforms. We need people of the cross. We need to be people of the cross.