Risk?

Chapter 5

It's funny as I have to write on taking risks; I have been contemplating some of my own risks and their implications on myself, my family and our lives. It has not been particularly fun.

Even though taking risks is not always fun, that doesn't mean that you can run from them at all costs. It may not be loving to choose comfort or security when something great may be achieved for the cause of Christ and for the good of others. (p. 80) Risk is the ability for us to trust in God, no matter what the outcome, and follow him.

The problem is we don't know the outcome but we also don't know that the risk we are taking (even if it turns out well) is what God would have us do. We don't know much creating variables on all sides and from every direction. Generally, when we get far enough away we can see that something didn't turn out the way we had planned so we will deem it a mistake, mourn, pout and pay for it with guilt for a long while. We waste a lot of energy moping because we don't know what is coming in the future. It is highly possible that that wretched risk we took that turned out poorly in our opinion might just have saved us from something much worse or opened a door to something we never would have seen before. We don't know so much! 

Risk is possible for us because we do not know all the many variables involved past, present and future. On the other hand, God can take no risks...His omniscience rules out the very possibility of taking risks. (p. 80) God's omniscience (the ability to know everything) is part of our Christian doctrine. More liberal Christians would say God can only know what can be known. It's kind of funny-if you think about it. Because we can't phathom things, we must limit God to make him more understandable to our small minds and logic systems. God knows everything! He knew it before it happened in time. If you like LOST, you may better appreciate God's omniscience. He is not subject to time as we are--he's outside of it altogether. Chew on that for awhile--it's fun.

We are obviously not omniscient (to whatever level you can agree God is). We aren't even close. Piper references, James 4:13-15, "We are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." (p. 80) I think if we had that perspective on our life we would look differently at the options and trials that we have in any given day. In some ways we are so much less than we think we are but in others, we are holy children of God who can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and make a significant impact on those around us. Phil 4:12-13. With that tension of being mortal and yet have immortal souls, one of Pipers aims in this book is to explode the myth of safety and to somehow deliver you from the enchantment of security. Because it's a mirage. It doesn't exist. Every direction you turn there are unknowns and things beyond your control. (p. 81) 

Piper uses examples from the Bible to show how good people sometimes make dangerous decisions for the greater good. Joab while trapped in a tenuous situation makes a difficult decision to fight. Esther decides to stick her neck out for her people. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego take on the fiery furnace rather than bow to anyone/thing other than God. The brave and relentless apostle Paul who risked his life time and time again and eventually lost it to share his passion for Jesus with us. Finally sharing Jesus's terrifying words, "if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." John 15:20 (p. 81-86) All of these people took tremendous risks for themselves and others, with little hope that they would survive or it would even remotely turn out alright.

Christians throughout history and the present day risk their lives to share the love of Christ with their friends and enemies a like. This generally turns out horribly for some of us on this earth but that isn't what matters to those who risk martyrdom. Somehow these sacrifices, make a tremendous impact on lives of those around us. Outsiders see something incredible about our God when we risk our lives for him and they become willing to change their ways. The irony of how torture and terror to Christ himself and those of us who follow him leads people to follow him still boggles my mind. "The mysteries of godliness are great!" 1 Tim 3:16

Joshua, an Old Testament hero, was not afraid to enter the promised land after wandering the dessert for 40 years because he new God promised the land to them. The risk seemed obvious and worthwhile to him because he knew God's word to the people. He trusted God more than he feared man. This is a godly outlook on life. I am afraid my own personal outlook is not usually so daring and hopeful.

Over and over, you see people taking risks for God in the Bible. It's pretty challenging because our American drug of choice is "safety." With the god of "fun," coming in a close second.  Unfortunatey, our desire for safety and our personal well-being keeps us from even seeing the risks we could take to prevent wasting our lives which causes most of us to waste our lives. 

We listen to "preachers" on TV that tell us if we follow their Jesus all will be well, life will start to look better and we should have a Lexus. Unfortunately, that doesn't generally happen. God works so many miracles in our lives that I am losing count of the ones that I know about, much less, all the ones that he's done that I am unaware have happened. But that doesn't mean, that things will be easy, that I won't struggle, that I won't have to give up myself for him in different passive and active ways every day of my life. Being a christian is frequently painful, more often than I like to admit very painful and sometimes literally painful. 

That said if we go to the other extreme of not taking risks; which is, taking risks for our own selfish reasons, we are in error as well. One of the things that is so hard about Christianity is that you can not get comfortable in the extremes. You must be alert and ever watching God's work in your life or you risk creating your own faith/religion that suits you but is not with God. 

We need to learn hear and see God and follow his guidance in our life and when he calls for risk be willing to take it when necessary but not take frivolous risks.  This balance is a hard one. No one has or ever will walk that balance perfectly--other than Jesus. We can only learn and grow from our mistakes and do better next time.

Some things to think about:

If you are a risk taker by nature, take some time to evaluate whether those risks were for you or God? How did they turn out? When you tell people of these stories do you exalt yourself while telling of the wonders God has done? How did your friends and family view God because of that risk you took? What have you learned? How could you have handled them differently? 

If you are not a risk taker, what is it that holds you back? Have the things holding you back become idols in your life preventing you from following God wholeheartedly? Are you too concerned about your safety? Are you too concerned about what people will think? What do you wish you would have done that you didn't?

No matter which type you are, (you're probably both at different times) take some time to confess it to God and ask him to show you a place where he would like you to grow and start taking some healthy for your soul risks for God and/or stop taking risks for yourself.