“For most, safety/security is not a choice.” Dr. Padilla Deborst reminded me of this simple, yet humbling reality. For me, each day is usually a choice. I can choose whether or not i experience discomfort. I can choose whether or not to boldly advocate for our gay students. I can choose whether or not to push back on decisions that allow hateful groups on our campus. I can choose whether or not to call out covert racism.
In choosing, I hope to be someone who pushes back on the narrative that “might is right” and push back against the status quo or the “safe way”. In embracing risk, we also invite the kingdom of God to fully reveal itself here on earth. As we saw in the story of the Good Samaritan, a full “heaven on earth” image is seen through an embracing of risk, and a recognizing of the beloved-ness of each human.
I think that image is so beautiful. Caring for and being truly lock step with the one who does not look like me, think like me, or talk like me. As a person of privilege, I can choose to acknowledge the belovedness of the other or not. Let’s be people of risk friends. Bringers of the kingdom of heaven!
6 comments
Yes, this is such an important topic, Justin!
I really wrestle with this. When I was a younger man, working in our family construction business, I was not really afraid of heights (or much of anything). Then, we started having kids and building a family, and suddenly, I was really hesitant to walk out on a stretch plank or climb on a roof. I want to be a person who takes risks out of love for my neighbor, and sometimes I do, but many times I don’t because of how it might impact my family.
How do you balance risk taking vs. recklessness? How do you discern that line in your own life?
Thanks for the replay Steve! I don’t pretend to be an expert of navigating this balance of risk vs safety. At a very baseline level, I think listening to our bodies and asking for our hearts to burn for the things Christ cares about will stir in us a conviction that something needs to be done. From there, in prayer with our families we decide how we address that conviction.
Thank you Justin for this challenge to take the risk to come alongside those who have already risked and suffered. I am hopeful that through this cohort God is moving us in this direction!
Confession: I have guilt around my privilege – my ability to choose whether I engage in “the fight” today or not. Even as I know guilt won’t be useful fuel…insert potential shame spiral. Attempting to embrace a daily bread theology, a seek ye first theology…perhaps in doing so, I can trust that the days I need to rest have been accounted for in God’s plan for justice and further, that they will fuel well the days I need to fight (for lack of a better term). This is my prayer.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Justin! I appreciate the idea of risk-taking being an invitation for God’s kingdom to be present here and now, “on earth as it is in heaven.”
I love the reminder that to value the belovedness of another above my safety is what we are invited to. Thank you for this!