In the lectionary's gospel text this week, Jesus foreshadows his coming death and tries to communicate to his disciples the sacrificial costs that will be demanded of those who follow him. The metaphor he uses seems counterintuitive -- "Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25) -- and demonstrates just how different God's ways are from the ways of the world. It seems to go against every fiber of our being to grasp that we must let go of that which we hold most dear in order to have it in abundance.