"The ship is safest when it is in port. But that's not what ships were made for." - Paulo CoelhoI like things that are safe. I like things that I can count on. Being a pretty conservative person, I don't really like a lot of radical change or abrupt movement one way or the other. But the longer I follow Jesus the more I realize that being "safe" is not His way.
Look at Jesus' life in the Gospels. It was anything but "safe." He encountered all kinds of people and situations that were not "safe." Whether they were sick with an incurable disease, struggling under demonic influence, so socially outcast that they were just labeled with the reputation of "sinners," or trying to kill Him, Jesus was engaged with people and it wasn't "safe."
In the book of Acts we can see that the church carried on Jesus' work after he returned to Heaven and found that they would be placed in all kinds of situations that were anything but "safe" just like Jesus was.
What I get from all this is that I was made to be a part of something big that God is doing in the world. It is big and wonderful and, even if no one ever notices the part I get to play, I am blessed and honored beyond measure to be a part. And one more thing: any role I play serving God as I should will be a lot of things, but it won't be "safe."
It will be risky, challenging, hard, frustrating, dangerous, requiring great sacrifice, etc. It won't be "safe." But, if God is in it (and He promises that He will be), when we serve Him it will be worth it!
Where are you just playing it "safe?" Where does God want you to be?
One thing Aaron and I have realized from reading "Radical" by David Platt is that we need to go global more often. We're making it a goal for both of us to do that once a year. I also realize how seldom I share the gospel with those in my life. THe more I let God draw me closer the easier that becomes, because it just pours out of the overflow of my heart. Those are just a couple of small steps to stepping out of the safe zone.
ReplyDeleteGood post Jim. This is a reminder that every Christian in the Western world needs. We like "safe" way to much.
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