Do you think of yourself as a risk-taker?
Some risks are relatively harmless. One time my husband pursued aerial photography. He would rent a plane and while I tried to keep us from nose-diving, he would lean out the cockpit and snap pictures of properties. But when we tried to sell the photos to the property owners, we found out they all happened to be photographers, pilots, or had relatives who were. Thankfully, God shut down that risk before we literally crashed and burned.
Other risks require great courage. History records people across continents and centuries who have risked their lives and fortunes to help other people. Telemachus, the monk whose bravery in standing up against the Roman gladiator games, brought the savagery to an end. Dietrich Bonhoeffer faced execution because of his resistance to Hitler. Oskar Schindler saved hundreds of Jews from perishing in the Holocaust. William Wilberforce risked his reputation in opposing the slave trade in England. The signers of America’s Declaration of Independence put their “lives, fortunes and sacred honor” on the line for something greater.
The Bible presents a litany of risk-takers: Noah and the ark, Moses and the Exodus, Rahab and the spies. There’s Peter, Paul, Stephen. Can we even have faith without a mindset of taking risks? Hebrews 11 paints a pretty clear picture of those heroes of our faith who were not afraid to lose one thing in order to gain something better. They refused to tie themselves to their reputations, comfort or security and they invite all believers who come after them to imitate their brave hearts.
We will never know (on this side of eternity) what our lives may have been like if we had taken more risks in order to follow God’s call. But we can, as did those who have gone before us, lay it all on the line in order to obtain a better country. A country where God will not be ashamed to have taken the risk to be called our God.
Lord Jesus, may we grow to such a degree that our faith will overcome fear in doing what you call us to do.
Throughout the Day: Consider one area where God may be calling you to take a risk. Then ask him to help you do it!