I recently enjoyed a movie. This is not a common occurrence; I generally only tolerate them. The film, The Insider, is a true story of the chemist who blew the whistle on the blatant deceit of the tobacco industry. He was not a wonderful person; rather as imperfect as you and I. There were a number of subplots to the movie, but the one which most involved me was the battle between conscience and expedience. Often in life, we are forced to make value judgments of behavior. Often these decisions involve complex issues — right and wrong never seems as clear as black and white.

On one side of the issue, are the facts: That big tobacco company is more interested in preservation of its base of existence and will do anything, including perjuring itself, to maintain the status quo. We might click our tongues at such behavior, but we often make personal decisions in the same manner.

On the other side is the nondisclosure agreement the chemist signed upon being "let go." This legal contract stipulated he never divulge negative information regarding the tobacco industry. In return, he was given a continuing severance package including insurance benefits and monthly stipend. Over his head, also, hung the sword of likely legal action — even jail time. To "do the right thing," in his case, would result in great discomfort; while "going along with the system" would result in a comfortable life for the chemist and his family. His ultimate choice should be an example to us all.

The full force of big money is brought upon this unlikely hero. He receives death threats to himself and his family. His past life becomes an open book, and everything he has ever done wrong is blown up and exaggerated. The threats and slanders destroy his family. Even his support group at "60 Minutes" caves in to the onslaught, leaving him, as it were, dangling in the wind with his personal identity reduced to ashes before the story turns. The ultimate result is the spate of personal liability suits brought against Big Tobacco. But, the only reason this evil was brought into the light of day was because one man was willing to pay the necessary price.

The tobacco story reminds me of the example of the Danish people during World War II. When all the other conquered nations of Europe were going along with the "ultimate Jewish solution," only the Danes refused to go along. This was more than unusual, because the Germans considered Danes to be their ethnic brothers. There was no other nation which had more to lose from resisting the Holocaust, but the Danes refused to go along. "We don't feel inferior to our Jews like the Germans do, so why should we permit this evil?" As a result, hundreds of Jews escaped German hands, and many Danes paid the price they were willing to risk for the sake of what was right.

Would we be willing to make such choices? If the mob showed up at our door to enlist our participation in burning out the new "undesirables" in the neighborhood, would we avoid confrontation and just go along? Or would we risk drawing the line and saying, "No. That's not the Christian thing to do!"? What would be the choice?

Well, the fact is, we make small choices like these every day when we tolerate cruel jokes or choose expediency over morality in any number of ways. Sometimes the right course is obvious and sometimes not. It is written, "evil triumphs when good people do nothing." More than the vote of each citizen counting, the choices of each of us matter deeply. We can go along with evil and "take care of our own," or we can draw a line in the sand and pay the price of following Jesus. In doing the former we eventually go to the grave as if we never lived. In doing the latter, we leave a mark, however slight, on society. It took one man willing to suffer to expose the hypocrisy of the tobacco companies. It took individuals making private choices to act to resist the Nazi horror. It took one Man born of God to pay the ultimate price and change the Way of Get to the Way of Give. And, it requires each of us to choose right over personal comfort to follow Jesus and make a difference in the world.

Jesus said, "He who seeks to preserve his life shall lose it; but he who gives up his life for my sake shall gain it." Our Master has awarded us each one "talent" to invest. To live for the sake of personal gain is to live it in vain — to choose comfort over crucifixion is to bury our "talent" in the ground. Once life has ended, only that invested in Jesus's name will live on. Which life will you choose to live?