This talk was delivered at a Youth club in Sunderland in April '08

Could integrity wear Prada?

Watch clip from 'The devil wears Prada' - 1:32:55 - 1:35:21

Andrea has reached a climactic moment in her life.  Her desire for integrity and her life choices are heading towards one another at breakneck speed - which is going to win through?  What should she do? 

And it is not just the story of a made up movie.  It happens to us all, and they can be as defining moments for us as they were for Andrea in 'The Devil wears Prada'. 

So, what are the big areas where you feel your beliefs are confronted and challenged at school or college, home or with friends?   Do we succumb to pressure to conform in order to get ahead.  Do we cut corners or bury our heads in the sand in order to get what we, in our selfishness want?  As Miranda says - 'You want this life then those choices are necessary'.  After all 'Everybody wants this, everybody want to be us!'

But what we are talking about is much more real than just asking the question 'are you going to be true to yourself'.  This is as big as it gets.

Jesus once said these words -

'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.  My Father will honour the one who serves me.'  John 12:23-26 (put words on powerpoint)

For a person to be of real value, they don't need to see what they can make of themselves running rough shod over everyone and everything else.  According to Jesus they need to 'hate their life' and 'die'.  So what does he mean?  What does this have to do with me living a life on integrity?

Well, Jesus knows what he is talking about.  Because first and foremost he is talking about himself.  When Jesus said these words he knew he was not far away from his own death - a death with a purpose.

Jesus knows that his death means the hope of real life for others - people like you and me. 'But if it dies, it produces many seeds'. The was the only man to live a perfect life, the man whom thousands followed, who did great miracles and divided people - some loving him and others hating him.  He was the only man to live a life of absolute integrity- always saying and meaning, thinking and doing what was right, and what was  this Jesus would die in order that others could live.

But he is also clear that not only must he die, but anyone who might follow him must die too! 'Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant also will be.'   In 'the devil wears Prada', Miranda could never believe that Andrea would ever walk away from this life.  Jesus makes walking away for the sake of integrity a necessity, makes following him a must.

So, what does it mean for you to hate your life in the world and not feed your own desires, in order to follow Jesus in the areas where you are challenged to have integrity at the moment?  This is important!

But there is another, even more important thing to notice.  Jesus death, his 'falling to the ground' and dying means no matter how much you lose in this life, you never lose anything!  I'll say that again.

No matter how much you lose in this life, you never lose anything!

Why?  Because Jesus death means we recieve eternal life, perfect life for eternity - something that overshadows what we may feel we lose a million fold. 

So - Integrity never loses out, no matter how much it costs.  Are you prepared to walk away from what 'everyone wants to be' in order to follow Jesus?  Are you prepared to die to yourself in order to gain what you would never believe?  It makes sense, do the maths and get rid of the Prada!