One of the most radical things Jesus said about being a disciple is that it would cost us our lives. He did not invite us into a club focused on feeling better about ourselves. He invited us into a life of sacrifice focused on pleasing God. We can compare this life to the journey a salmon takes by swimming upriver to spawn. During the spawning season, these fish swim hundreds of miles against strong currents, even jumping up waterfalls to reach their destination. There are strong currents of worldly values that push against the Christian life, and dying to ourselves means swimming against those currents, no matter the cost.