quick note: these are undeveloped thoughts that I will throw out for us to wrestle with.I am becoming more and more convinced that SAFETY is becoming one of the most effective thieves to living an authentic Christian life.
A classmate just shared his struggles about trying to live out Christ's call in a really tough neighborhood with his family and the immediate safety of his children and wife. I feel for him in this spiritual struggle. My personal struggle comes with the measures we as a society have taken to create a safe environment at the cost of community. 8 foot privacy fences, gated communities, surveillance cameras and lack of gathering places in neighborhoods have all thrown fuel on the fire in my mind.
I don't want to put Kim and Ruthie in harms way, but something deep inside me says that there is greater danger in living a life that is free of risk. My favorite image of the church is that of a bird bath not a birdcage. The birdcage selects it's pretty little birds, gives them all the toys they need and then shuts the door. Now think about a bird bath. Bird baths are open to raccoons, squirrels and crows who bath in the same water as the pretty birds. While the bird bath is more susceptible to massive amounts of crap, it's a better picture of the church I want to be associated with.
under construction
the younger
2 comments:
So this is really long. Read it if you want.... It's the intro to a Bible Study called Chasing the Lions by Mark Batterson. I think that is explains some of the ideas you are expressing.
“Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel,
a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear. These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors. He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard” (2 Samuel 23:20-23).
Let me state the obvious: Benaiah was not the odds-on favorite in any of these encounters. He was doubled-teamed by two mighty Moabites—a two-to-one underdog. If I’m placing bets on an average size Israelite with a club or a giant Egyptian with a spear, I’m going to put my money on the sharp, pointy thing. I can’t even imagine how you begin to calculate the odds of man vs. lion.
Not only do fully grown lions weigh up to 500 pounds and run 35 mph, but their eyesight is five times better than a human with 20/20 vision. This lion had a huge advantage in a dimly lit pit, and I guarantee that a sure-footed lion with feline reflexes certainly gains the upper paw in snowy, slippery conditions.
Most of us don’t like being in pits with lions on snowy days, but those are the stories worth telling. Those are the experiences that make life worth living.
Lion-chasers don’t try to avoid situations where the odds are against them. Lion-chasers know that impossible odds set the stage for amazing miracles.
Here’s the rest of the story: finding yourself in a pit with a lion on a snowy day seems to qualify as bad luck or a bad day. But stop and think about it—can’t you just see David flipping through résumés looking for a bodyguard? I majored in security at Jerusalem U. Nope. I did an internship with the temple guard. Don’t call us; we’ll call you. I worked for Brinks Armored Chariots. Thanks, but no thanks. Then he comes to Benaiah’s résumé: I killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day. You’ve got to admit that looks awfully good on your résumé if you’re applying for a bodyguard position with the king of Israel.
What seemed like a bad break turned into a big opportunity, and those impossible odds set the stage for his entire military career.
I think part of us wants God to reduce the obstacles. We like situations where the odds are in our favor. But sometimes God allows the odds to be stacked against us so He can reveal more of His glory through it.
Maybe Benaiah knew he wasn’t outnumbered by the Moabites. He had the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit on His side! A giant Egyptian can’t stand up to the God of Israel. And a big cat is no match for the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
Benaiah’s boldness was not just a function of his courage; it was a function of his confidence in God. His God was bigger than armies, weapons, and even nature. Because his God was that big, none of the situations were problems—they were just opportunities for a big God to showcase His big power.
So how big is your God?
Is He bigger than your biggest problem? Is He bigger than your worst failure? Is He bigger than your greatest fear?
We could easily look at someone like Benaiah and call him reckless. We might very sensibly argue that he acted without thinking, or that his actions were not very prudent in that specific situation. But what if our arguments against risk-takers like Benaiah are rooted deeply in the smallness of our own God?
The world is full of cautious and prudent people who will live fine, long lives. But chances are if you spend your life in an attempt to eliminate risk, uncertainty, and fear you will miss out on some of the most amazing experiences a person can have with Jesus.
Your greatest regret at the end of your life will be the lions you didn’t chase. You will look back longingly on the risks not taken, opportunities not seized, and dreams not pursued. Stop running away from what scares you, and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path.
I liked Ellen's comment a lot and I'm glad she put it all in there. My thinking on risk-taking is more subtle....the risk it takes to tell those closest to us how much we love and need them...the risk it takes to applaud someone else's accomplishment...the risk it takes to be silent before God so that we may hear a still , small Voice. Love to my boys...The Womb Mother
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