For the Cause?

Today, like many others in the world, I have heard the news of the execution of Saddam Hussein. Many applauded and rejoiced over his death, saying he only got what he deserved. Others lamented his death, saying he was a martyr who died for his cause. Much of the violence currently happening in Iraq is for this same cause. Throughout the years, millions of people of every race, color and nation have been willing to fight for and die for a cause.
That caused me to wonder, "What is our cause?" Is there anything, we as Christians, are willing to fight to the death for? Do we even have a "cause?" The dictionary uses words like conviction, creed, motive, reason, force, ideal, movement, plan, principles and purpose to define the word. And the thesaurus uses backbone and belief. And so I ask again, do we have a cause? I know we have a belief system. (Although I can't tell you how many times someone calls my husband and asks "What do WE believe about . . . ) I know we have principles and ideals. But is our cause one we are willing to fight for and perhaps even die for? We know from historians that many writers of the New Testament as well as the Apostles frequently had to give their lives for the cause of Christ. I am thankful we live in a time and place that allows us to worship. But if we didn't, would we fight? Would we die? I am not sure we would. The morals and values of our society are getting farther and farther away from the values and standards of our Father. And, while we may not agree with them, (at least I hope we don't), we have done very little to stop the decline. We haven't taken a stand. It seems we are so afraid of being called fanatics that we too often become mere observers of the faith, rather than participants. The thing is, one cannot say they have a cause if they are merely observers. They can call themselves watchers, data-gatherers, studiers of human nature, etc. But they cannot say they belong to a cause unless they participate. So, do we have a cause?
In the late sixties, early seventies, thousands of young people, (my parents called them hippies) marched on Washington for the cause of peace. Decades earlier thousands marched for the cause of equality among races. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers began as a belief driven by loss that became a fullblown cause. I could go on and on, naming causes, all based on a belief and driven by both facts and emotions.
We have a cause. We believe that God loves us, that He sent His Son to die for us, that His Son was resurrected and went to Heaven and that He will return for us, too. We also believe that the whole world is lost without Him. Our cause--the cause of Christ--seek and save the lost, share the good news, bring salvation and healing to a dead and dying world. We have a cause!!! We are not drafted into this cause, we made a decision to put on Christ and in doing so, His cause became our cause.
So what are we willing to do for the cause? We are not called to merely observe. But, we may be called on to be the voice of integrity at work. We may be called on to be examples of mercy and forgiveness in our churches. We may be called on to be patient and kind in our families. We may be called on to vote in our nations elections for god fearing men and women. We may be called on to turn off sinful music and ungodly television programs. And we may be called to stand up and tell everyone about our cause, no matter if it costs money, popularity or friends. And we may be called to die for the cause. It is Christ's cause, it is our cause, it is the only cause worth dying for ---what are we doing for the cause?

Neva