THE THEOLOGY OF - Baptist Bible Tribune

apprehensive, having been a revenge-basedsociety for generations.Taking the initial risk, while difficultand certainly frightening, was followed bylifelong submission to the perfect will of God.For sweet Rachel, that meant 36 years ofjungle living, serious health issues, languagedevelopment, Bible translation, care giving,and self-sacrifice. But her deep commitment toChrist overflowed in a joyful countenance.To make the wrong choice and spendone’s life avoiding risks would surely result intruly a sad and fruitless life. A byproduct ofavoiding risk is that the risk-avoider tends tofullness of joy are not necessarily connected tothe calendar.Have you ever heard this phrase? “Thesafest place in the world is in the middle ofGod’s will.” That is downright goofy. Actually,sometimes being where God wants you tobe and doing what God wants you to do isnot at all safe. But risk-taking, cross-bearingobedience is the way to fulfillment.Missionary, pastor, church member, allof us as Christ-followers must count the cost,bear the cross, take the risk. Obedience is thepath we must choose.[Have you ever heard this phrase? “The safestplace in the world is in the middleof God’s will.” That is downright goofy.Actually, sometimes being where God wants you to beand doing what God wants you to do is not at all safe.[is emphasized over and over again as ourresponsibility to walk as he walked; andthat we ought to walk worthy of the callingwherewith we have been called.(Ephesians. 4:1,17; 5:2)Once we know Christ in free forgiveness,it is important that we live a life of responsibleservanthood.In the well-known parable of the talents inMatthew 25, we find two extremes: successfulrisk-taker and worthless risk-avoider. Prettymuch, those are our only choices — risk-takeror risk-avoider!The Old Testament is full of stories of risktakers.Moses at the Red Sea. Joshua outsideJericho. Elijah on Mount Carmel. Daniel havingmorning devotions.It is obvious that Jesus values and rewardsrisk-taking.If we follow Him, He will lead us throughour adventure of faith. If you are obedientto the Lord, you know that this new life isindeed an adventure of faith. Risk is born outof our intimate walk with the Savior. Risk isdemanded of the servant of Christ.Is it possible that some of us are trying tofind a “comfort zone” instead of the “dangerzone?”Our dear friend, Rachel Saint, told us onmore than one occasion of the courage thatwas necessary to go into the Waorani tribethat had killed her brother and his four friends.The Waorani themselves were fearful andbe judgmental. To those on the front lines,risking everything, the risk-avoider looks likeone who in the comfort and security of hissuburban home, sits on his couch and criticizesothers who took some risks and got injured,heartbroken, or attacked. We like what onepastor said, “Jesus didn’t say, ‘Pick up yourmattress and follow me.’ He said, ‘Take up yourcross!’”Is it possible to be a true Christ-followerwho avoids risks? We think not. Courage isnecessary. Courage is demanded.In a video titled, “Letter to Zac” producedas he faced death, Zac Smith encouragedChristian young people to “choose theharder path” (http://www.hello-righton.com/2009/08/13/letter-to-zac-video). When weface the reality of the brevity of life, the risksseem trivial. The abundance of life and theA great deal more failure is the resultof an excess of caution than of boldexperimentation with new ideas. Thefrontiers of the kingdom of God werenever advanced by men and women ofcaution. -Oswald SandersGlobal [17] Partners