How do you risk? Not asking specifically what you are risking (we will get to that), but how you approach risk? Are you the type to wade in just a little bit and test the waters? Do you have to know you will most likely succeed before you risk anything? Does fear of failure keep you from wholeheartedly jumping in to risk? Read on Steven Furtick's blog today about "drowning in the kiddie pool" when it comes to risk. If you are going to fail, and it is possibility, then do you want to fail trying something small (the kiddie pool) or jumping in the middle of the deep end? You might fail at either, but aren't some risks worth taking? The little risk doesn't accomplish much. Matter of fact, couldn't a cautious, tentative, "little" risk be insulting to God? Doesn't it say to God that we really don't think he is capable? We want to manage the risk, keep it controllable. But controllable by who? By what we can do or what God has in mind to accomplish?
Big risk equals big reward. It might mean big failure too. But I think I would rather try something big and fail, than sit on the sidelines and do nothing. God doesn't accept us on our success rate, but instead He wants us to trust Him. If you have ever done a "trust fall" at camp or something similar, that is what God is asking of us. He wants our trust, not how successful we are by ourselves. Trust is the key to a relationship. It is hard to have much of relationship if you don't trust the other person. Think about it... if you can't trust someone how much faith do you have in them? You can say all of the right words, but you probably aren't willing to risk much for them. So how do you risk? Are you willing to risk for the important or does you pride, or fear of failure, or ego, or selfishness, or comfortableness keep you from risking big?
This morning I got to see someone take a risk. He jumped into a conversation with me (always a risky thing) and laid some hard things out there to discuss. There was a chance it could fail. He could have been rejected. I could have gotten angry and attacked who he is. He took a risk on our friendship. See trust is always a risky thing. Trust gives up the control. Transparency can be a risky thing, but the reward can be awesome. I appreciate that he was willing to jump in the middle of the deep end and not just be content to stay in the kiddie pool. The shallow end was a choice he had, but man, what do you miss by staying in the ankle deep water? Never heard someone describe a great friend as someone who was willing to wade into the shallow for them. No, usually that is the person who is willing to ride the waves of both the good and the bad. Some things are worth taking a risk for. What are you willing to take a risk on?
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