Jeff Johnson: You don’t have to swoop to take a risk for Jesus

I sat on the plane this past week with a retired Army Ranger who is into the sport of swooping. He explained it as “canopy piloting” to the ground as fast as possible.

Jeff JohnsonThe chute pops and goes into a tight spin just before impact and then levels out so the chute becomes more of a parasail, taking the “swooper” on a horizontal path just a few feet above the ground at speeds nearing 90 mph.

“When you are coming in fast, your body thinks you are going to hit the ground and die,” he said. “It is such a rush. The adrenaline is just incredible.”

This Ranger reminded me some people always are willing to go to the edge—to risk injury, humiliation and even death to be part of something they believe in.

Daniel Rangel is a our Texas Baptist spiritual “swooper.” He leads our efforts on the Texas/Mexico border. I am so thankful for the type of leadership Daniel and his team provide for us

“The danger on the border is nowhere near what it was four or five years ago,” Daniel said. “I know most people’s perspective on the border has not changed.”

This year, Daniel and his family were among the first group to return on a mission trip to Juarez. They are inquiring about the possibility of returning next year.

I challenge Texas Baptists to cry out for comfort, peace and perseverance for those who are ministering along our Texas/Mexico border. The laborers are few. If you cannot come to the border, there are other ways to help.  You can meet needs, such as praying, collecting resources and sending letters/emails of encouragement.

The existence of groups like cartels, gangs and ISIS reminds me evil grows flesh. The danger exists—at least for me—of theologizing Jesus’ command to “love my enemies” and “pray for those who persecute me” and skirt the hard mandate to engage in meaningful ministry. I observe a lot of this from the Pharisees. They wanted to debate the niceties of the law, but Jesus wanted their lives.

It can become easy for me to sidestep Jesus’ difficult commands and turn a blind eye. I, at times, am not sure I really want to love my real enemies. But if Jesus’ words don’t strike some uneasy chord in me, then probably I am not hearing him correctly.

I will not be hooking up to any chutes in the near future and never willfully will become a human missile. The truth is that I might never be called to “hit the silk” and run the ragged edge by risking my life for Christ. Still, there’s a lot I learned on that plane ride from that Army Ranger. He inspired me to risk doing more. I might attempt a soft jump like, say, befriending that family who lives in the crack house I pass by every day on the way to work. I might give Daniel a call and head to the border again myself.

After all, if I’m going to fly and feel the rush, I have to be willing to jump first!

Jeff Johnson is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and pastor of First Baptist Church in Commerce.