"And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
– Mark 8:34-37

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
– Luke 9:23

"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."
– Matthew 10:38

Every Easter, many dazzlingly eloquent words are written and spoken about Christ's "Passion" – a singular historical event, graphically portrayed in films like "The Passion of the Christ," "Jesus of Nazareth" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told." That these screen depictions serve to powerfully rekindle many believers' gratitude for what Jesus endured for their sake is undeniable. But I wonder, how often does that appreciation for Christ's sacrifice ignite a fire in the belly of believers to "take up the cross" themselves?

But first things first. What in the world does "taking up your cross" really mean?

'I die daily'
In ages past, Christians dwelt a lot more on the concept of taking up the "cross" than they do these days. Today, the phrase "it's my cross to bear" is usually a self-congratulatory reference to the fact that we have to put up with a vexing medical condition, or a child in trouble with the law, or perhaps an overbearing, live-in mother-in-law.