RISK _ WHAT'S YOUR TOLERANCE?

Sometimes you have to go out on a limb, because that’s where the fruit is.

Today a good friend reminded me of these words.  When he credited them to me I was quick to admit stealing them, although I can’t remember from whom.  Never-mind who said them, they are true, and like all truth. . . when embraced . . . they set you free.

I journal.  I began keeping a journal since I was in high school and have always found the process of writing a significant part of my spiritual journey as it forces me to wrest out an appropriate response to the daily events both ordained and allowed in my life.  Two weeks ago I finished a journal, one which I started in March of 2007, and as I put it on it’s shelf I reflected on the over two years worth of life contained between it’s covers.  Wow – what a trip down memory lane that was – a trip that has helped to define my understanding of the person of God more than any other period in my life.

You could say my trip down memory lane was highlighted by the risks I’d taken over the last two years, their consequences in my life and the lives of those around me.   I have always been a bit of a risk taker – riding my bike off a bridge in elementary school (and breaking bones), dunking a basketball off a table in middle school (and breaking bones), falling asleep at the wheel after an all-nighter in high school and hitting a semi (believe it or not – no broken bones).  I’ve taken stupid risks and bold risks.  Risks of love like marriage, parenting, and forgiveness and risks of lust like overeating, overworking, and overindulgence. 

If you are a follower of Christ, you have been called to a life of risk – obviously not stupid risks or sinful risks – but definitely to unsafe risks.  Risks that require faith over fear, dependence over confidence, and surrender verses sufficiency.  Our calling is one of God sized dreams and the failures that accompany the pursuit of anything bigger than our own abilities.  If we want to live safe and secure lives, raise good families, and die financially independent, the road is clear – but if we want to live an adventure with God, launch our children as passionate and dangerous world changers, and die with a journal worthy of being read – it will involve risk.

Peter got out of the boat, David charged the Giant, and Moses parted the sea. 

Peter also sank, David also cheated, and Moses also murdered.

But they’re lives are worthy of reading - why – because they took the risk to follow a God whose calling on their lives was bigger than they could attain on their own.

So as I have begin my new journal with it’s over 500 fresh blank pages, I have surrendered to more risk in my life, more dreams that only God can fulfill, and the full on embrace of the failures and brokenness that will come.

If you want to sit around on your blessed assurance and judge my risk taking – bring it – I can own my junk and God can own everything else.  If you want to get out of the boat, charge the giant, or part the sea.  Surrender, and let’s go for it together – after all -

Sometimes you have to go out on a limb, because that’s where the fruit is.

Josh