December 16, 2002
CYBERCOLUMN:
Risk
___By John Duncan
___My friend John asked, "Would God ever ask you to do something irresponsible?" He was talking about Christians as risk-takers and how that relates to our faith and to God.
___Talking to John about risk is intimidating, because he lives with it personally on a level I can only imagine. He is a missionary in southern Sudan, a very dangerous place; the risky things in my life pale in comparison.
___John asked, "What is the relationship between belief and risk and seeing the glory of God?"
BERRY D. SIMPSON
___We were discussing a story from the Bible about Lazarus, a close personal friend of Jesus who died. Jesus wanted to perform a miracle to bring Lazarus back to life, so he asked the men to roll back the stone blocking the front of the tomb.
___Martha, Lazarus' sister, didn't want to do it. She believed in Jesus and that he could do anything, but the fact was, Lazarus had been dead and entombed for four days. Martha was exhausted from weeping and grieving, and she didn't want to start over. To roll back the stone and expose Lazarus' stinking, decomposing body would reopen all the emotional wounds recently healed and remind them again of death when they wanted hope.
___Martha was standing at the crossroads of faith and responsibility. She had faith in Jesus, but rolling back the stone seemed irresponsible. Yet looking into the eyes of Jesus, she obeyed. She took a risk; she allowed herself to be vulnerable to criticism and emotion and obeyed Jesus. And because she did, she saw the glory of God.
___John asked, "Why do faith and responsibility contradict? Would God ever ask us to do something that was irresponsible?"
___His question was a shot to the center of my analytical, calculating heart. I am not a natural risk-taker. Whether about career choices, writing, music, running or worship, I will always choose safety over risk and vulnerability.
___Too many times in my Christian life, I've thought: no, I'm not going to worship like that; no, I'm not going to help those particular people; no, I'm not going to join that group; no, I'm going to stay the way I am. God made me this way, and he's just going to have to bless me this way in this place. I'm not open to change, to vulnerability, to risk.
___What do I mean by risk? Well, I don't have to dodge militant anti-Christian forces like my friend John. In my life, it usually means taking a chance I'll look foolish.
___Take an easy, harmless example–worship. Am I willing to worship in emotion and vulnerability even though I'm afraid of being silly if the risk allows me to see the glory of God?
___There was a gentleman who used to attend our church who sat on the front row and who was a very emotional worshiper—and everyone knew who he was. You could say, "You know the guy who always says, 'Hallelujah' and raises his hands?" and anyone would know exactly who you meant. Am I willing to be a guy like him if it brings me to the glory of God?
___Recently, while serving on a spiritual retreat, I found myself standing in a hallway waiting to give a short talk. I heard the guys singing one of my favorite songs, "All in All," and suddenly I had no choice but to stretch out both arms and raise both hands in complete surrender to God and sing out the words loud and clear. It was as if God were pulling the worship out of me. There was no risk in that!
___Once I attended a worship service at the Greater St. Luke's African Methodist Episcopal Church. I was one of only two white men in the entire building, which meant I felt extremely awkward sitting on the deacon's bench up on the stage in front of everyone. I was aware that I couldn't swing when I worshipped with these people. Was that risky? Well, it certainly wasn't comfortable.
___Risk for its own sake has no value. We don't take risks to please ourselves or to stand out from the crowd, but because we want to see God, know God, experience God and worship God. We do it because he is more important than we are. And all we are risking is someone thinking we look foolish.
___John asked, "Would God ever ask you to do something irresponsible?
___The answer? Well, I'm afraid to say this because who knows what God will ask me to do next, but no, John, I think he won't. I believe all God wants to do is show me his glory.
___Is that so risky?
___ Berry Simpson, a Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church in Midland, is a petroleum engineer, writer, runner and member of the city council in Midland.
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