John 12:23-26 NKJV
But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

The musky scent of kavubuka (body odor) filled a poorly aerated room in the middle of Kampala Road, this was a cybercafé. It was my second year of university, and I'd landed a job here – if you could call it that. A year in, and I had not seen a single coin for my work. The owner always had an excuse, some new sob story spun to avoid paying. Yet, day after day, I would trek from Wandegeya, pocket money dwindling, sometimes down to the last shilling. On some of those days, my feet carried me all the way to City Square.

It was not the money that kept me coming back – it was the internet. The hacking scene had me hooked. Computers, these tools we took for granted, could be twisted and turned for crime. An invisible battleground lay just beneath the web pages. But even more thrilling to me was the chase – how could these cyber criminals be stopped? After lectures on campus, I would disappear down the rabbit hole, fueled by curiosity, reading and researching the tools of cyber security.

Today, it all feels so far removed. I sit in boardrooms, advising the government and corporations on these very threats and ways to protect themselves. This position, a world away from that dingy cafe, was forged in those unpaid hours.
This memory is triggered by the scripture where Jesus paints the vivid picture of the price of glory – sacrifice. Fruitfulness comes as a result of seed falling to the ground and dying. A seed cannot reproduce if it does not die.

The world today glorifies comfort and self-love, advert after advert enticing us through our senses to desire comfort and shun sacrifice. Sacrifice has become a bad word. Isn’t that like the devil, to take something that contains so much power and abuse and numb us of its potential. This is because the devil knows what power can be released when we live a life of sacrifice for others. No wonder Jesus rebuked Peter so sharply, he was trying to stop him from making a sacrifice.

'But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:23 NKJV

Imagine the difference we could make: homes buzzing with life as we host Missional Communities, new churches being planted, the faces of those in our community lighting up with joy because of our visits.  Can you see the early mornings spent in prayer bearing fruit, or picture the abundance that flows from generous hands? This is the power of sacrifice. It will not be easy. It means giving up what is comfortable – our time, our resources, our own desires. But that is the path Jesus walked. He sacrificed everything for us. And the promise for those who follow in His footsteps? True honor. Not the kind the world gives, but the eternal glory that comes from God Himself.

So, what will you choose today? Will you settle for a life focused on yourself? Or will you reach out, offer up, and ignite a fire that spreads His love and transforms lives – including your own? The choice, and the supernatural rewards, are in your hands.