Here is a link to
download a pdf copy of chapter 2 (just completed) of my treatise, "What Did Jesus Really Mean?" which
explains Jesus' enigmatic statement "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Matthew 16:25-26) in terms of a reincarnational soul-development 'scheme', which in turn implies that 'we' (nascent baby-bird souls) have 'incarnated' here
in order to learn/develop and grow to become functionally
full-fledged members/partners of LIFE -
that is
why 'we' are 'here', in other words. Not everyone makes it, though,
hence the referenced possibility of 'losing' one's (soulful) 'life'.