Taking Risks

One of my routines Sunday night right before going to sleep is to read Parade Magazine. There was a good article in yesterday's Parade. Filmmaker Clint Eastwood reflects upon the two films he just completed about the battle for Iwo Jima. The one from the American perspective is titled, "Flags of Our Fathers."

The guy is 76 years old and could easily retire and play golf on the beautiful Monterrey Peninsula, where he has lived for years. Yet Mr. Eastwood feels driven to make more films and learn more from heroes like the Marines who fought in that bloody battle.

Eastwood says that he keeps challenging himself to do something he's never done before. He writes: "There are alwyas obstacles and people afraid to take risks. That's why you end up with remakes of old television shows as movies. But playing it safe is what's risky, because nothing new comes out of it." (My emphasis)

Have you ever thought that being cautious and avoiding new challenges is risky? I certainly think this would be true for a follower of Christ. Let's admit it -- staying in our comfort zone feels comfortable, like we're in control. But how will we ever grow as a follower of Jesus if we never take leaps of faith and try things that we've never done before, for His glory?

The late preacher Jamie Buckingham once said, "Attempt something so big that unless God intervenes it's it's bound to fail."

Jesus is calling us to keep stepping out on the boat and walking on water as we keep our eyes on Him. I'm wondering what that would look like in how I lived this week -- or even today.

Let's try this experiment. Why don't we ask the Lord to push us out of our comfort zones and do something we've never done before. Pray for the strength and courage to do it. And then expect Him to do things that are beyond our ability.

What I plan to do is go out in our waiting room, sit down with our neighbors and ask how I can pray for them. That is risky. Definitely out of the ordinary for me. And yet I don't want to take a greater risk -- the risk of staying in a rut. For it's in those ruts that we rely on our own flimsy power -- and miss out on walking on the road of new adventures, hand in hand with Jesus.

Jim