"Who (Jesus) gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar (emphasis mine) people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14 KJV).
Having a life means the willingness to take a risk--the risk to do good. Jesus strongly teaches that the unwillingness to take a risk is wickedness (See the parable of the talents in Matthew 25). Life is an adventure. As human beings, unless God specially gifts us, we cannot know the future--we cannot know the outcome. One of the characteristics of God's people that makes their lives different is that they are willing to embrace risk-taking, the risk-taking done for Him.
But of one outcome that they can be absolutely sure is that God will bless the risk taken for Him.
Risk-taking is not recklessness. Recklessness is thoughtlessness, as when one exposes himself to danger without thinking it through. The Godly risk-taker has thought it through and has come to the conclusion, "It is worth the risk." Former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, once said, "In crises, the most daring course is often the safest." That was one of his guiding principles of foreign policy--it is a good principle for life too.
To be a "peculiar" person-- a different person--be willing to take the risk to do good things.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I was just thinking on this very topic today as I sat on the bus, chaperoning my daughter's class on a field trip to the San Francisco Zoo. I was thinking that sometimes it is good to take risks, but sometimes it is unwise - how do you know the difference? You have answered my question for the most part, but I am sure when I am a situation, I will still wonder if it is wise or not. You guessed it, I am not a risk taker.
How do you know the difference?What kind of risk will God bless? In the parable of the talents, the servants were given charge over varing amounts of money. They were expected to use that money to make more money. Two were successful. Any business person knows that to increase monetary values requires risk. What if the servants would have invested the master's money and lost it? I wish Jesus would have discussed that possibility in his parable. Since he didn't, my conclusion is this: Any risk taken for the Master will succeed even if there is an apparent failure. What is wicked is when we are unwilling to take the risk at all.
In saying that, I am not condoning recklessness. Any business person thinks through his investments and tries to minimize the risk. But it is one of the laws of economics, if there is no risk, there is no profit. Even apparently "sure things" can fail. In the case of failure, we can learn and become stronger, and thus, we are blessed.
I cannot believe how much you will strain a text to make it say what you want!!! Dr. Steele, you ought to be ashamed! What did this text say that had anything to do with taking a risk?
--Husker Red
Well HR it is like this, I know I was "straining" the verse a little, but I wanted the readers to think about what makes the Christian life different, "peculiar." One of those things is the willingness to take a risk to do good. To speak to one that you ordinarily would pass by is one example. Think of the many good things we miss by playing it safe. God doesn't want us to be stupid, but He doesn't want us to play it safe all the time either.
Post a Comment