Sir Ernest Shackleton was an explorer who wanted to be the first man to reach the South Pole and completely transverse Antarctica. Even today, with the NASA inspired insulated clothing we can purchase at REI, traversing Antarctica is a dangerous adventure; Shackleton’s adventure took place 100 years ago. He could not, of course, complete this undertaking alone, so he placed the following ad in a London newspaper. “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.”* That is not a help-wanted ad that many of us would quickly respond to, even if we badly needed a job. Shackleton received thousands of responses! They were inspired an adventure, and a leader they believed in.
Jesus said in Luke 9:23-24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Anyone willing to answer that ad?
*Today In The Word, August, 1989, p. 33.
©2011 Paul Tillman
