Faith has always been a familiar word in Christian lingo. To say,"By faith, I believe and confess that Jesus is the Son of God," is speak-easy.
But, when stepping outside of the comfort of Christian-ese conversation, it's not as live-easy as one may think.
Living out what we say we believe in our day-to-day, especially among non-believers, is hard.
It's risky business.
- Showing love to a hard-nosed boss or coworker who seems to thrive on degrading and demeaning others is risky.
- Forgiving someone who has wronged or offended us is risky.
- Building relationships with people who are different from us is risky.
- Following a God-driven dream is risky.
- Speaking the name Jesus in conversation is risky.
I know.
But I also know I couldn't risk it alone.
I know because in Christ I chose to show love to one who was emotionally abusive in the workplace.
I know because in Christ I've forgiven face to face someone who had harmed me.
I know because in Christ I have intentionally built relationships with those who are different from me.
I know because in Christ I've followed the Holy Spirit's lead to make a dream come true.
I know because in Christ I've learned to speak the name Jesus in conversations every chance I get.
Every step of faith in Christ is taking an intentional risk - a risk in relationships, a risk in business, a risk with reputation.
Jesus was the Master risk-taker. Every step He took on earth was a risk. In obedience to His Father, He risked His reputation, His relationships, even His life. Every person He encountered was risky because He chose to not put limitations on His compassion, mercy, and grace, love and forgiveness.
He took a risk on those He called to be His disciples. They were not disciple qualified in the eyes of other Rabbis. They were unacceptable in the eyes of the religious educators. Yet, Christ's disciples changed the world. Their encounters with Christ are the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Some wrote letters to the Church. Even Peter, the denier, became the rock on which Christ is building His Church.
Risk leads to relationship. Relationship leads to reward.
Christ risked everything to hang out with those who needed Him most - the want-to-believe-rs; the shunned, the sick, the crippled, the demon possessed.
Jesus, a Friend for sinners. Souls who need a Savior.
To live as Christ is risky. He was always being questioned by those in religious authority, asking Him under what authority was He healing, forgiving sins, and on the Sabbath of all days.
Avoiding being captured, sometimes He melted into the crowd or escaped out into the wilderness. Christ continued taking risks for your sake and mine, showing us how to be a friend to the friendless. He mingled with the unlovely, all socio economic classes, the forbidden races, the adulterers, the murderers, the tax collectors, etc... Why?
To show us the love of the Father and to provide an escape from the wrath of God. To bridge the gap between the sinner and the Father, by saving all who will believe in Him, confess Him before men, and who will take a risk on His behalf.
(See Isaiah 53) He was arrested, stripped, beaten, spit on, mocked, and hung on a cross, naked in utter shame, ripped to shreds for ALL mankind all because He first loved us.
The Sinless, became sin for the sinful.
Who are you willing to risk it all for to build a relationship with?
Will you be seen eating lunch with the pregnant teenage girl at school, the shunned person from your office, the mean girl, the abusive coworker? Will Jesus be in your conversation where the Spirit opens the door?
What will your risk walk look like today?
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8 NKJV).
My Pleasure,
Melanie
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