Risking it All
Does the title of this post make you squirm a little bit? It does for me. Not necessarily in a disagreeable way, but in a way that it gets me thinking. A few questions keep coming up. Am I willing to risk it all, or am I willing to risk just enough to still be comfortable? What am I willing to risk today, and what am I trying to hold on to? What is the difference between a big risk and a small risk? And what does it look like for me to risk everything?
Risk… it is the exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance, being in jepoardy, the unknown, a threat, uncertainty, and just pure possibility. People do not like the unknown. We like being in control and knowing what is going on and what will happen. Uncertainty can bring fear, instability, anticipation, and speculation. We would rather stay secure and safe in our own little world than take a step beyond our comfort zone. Risk doesn’t mean safe. It doesn’t always mean bad, but it doesn’t mean safe.
But that is exactly where we are supposed to be as followers of Christ. Risking it all. Laying our life down so we can live for our Savior. Risk makes me think of a quote from the Chronicles of Narnia.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” So just like Aslan, our lives as believers is not safe, but it is good. Risking a life for Christ is not safe, but it is great, it is abundant, and it is worth it. So yes, it is unknown but it is trusting in something and someone that is bigger than yourself, that has a plan for you. God doesn’t call us to be in control He calls us to let go, so we can give control back to him. Where it belongs. Yes we have to make decisions and put one foot in front of another, but we serve a God that wants what is best for us. He has our best interests at heart. We just have to be willing to risk. To lay down our lives and desires to live for him. He has desires for us that are greater, more fulfilling, and with our best intentions in mind. We have to choose that.
The Bible is filled with verses calling us to risk our live, here are two verses:
Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Philippians 3:8
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.
So back to my first paragraph. The term risking it all makes me squirm as much as it does because I have the desire to live that way. And daily I have to be in check with myself asking, “am I risking it all?” “Am I willing to give up everything or am I trying to take things back in my own control and my own power?” I have to make the overall big one time decision to live a life that pursues risking it all. But the actual work that goes into that lifestyle is a series of little decision. Everything you do should be pursuing that goal. It is amazing that the actual act of surrendering and taking up the cross starts with letting go. We have to let go, not give up. We have to hold things with open hands. If we hold on to things too tight we aren’t willing to risk. Controlling life is actually taking what doesn’t rightfully belong to us. Philippians 1:21 “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain”. Paul had the right perspective. We are to risk everything in this life. Our life is for Christ. But our physical life here is nothing compared to the eternal greatness we experience with Christ. But we can’t experience all He has for us if we are holding on to things too tight. So risk it all.
What aren’t you willing to risk? Are you willing to take steps to take up your cross? Can you risk everything?
