Safety Kills

Isn't it time to quit being so safe? Everywhere we go, everything we read, we're being told we're not safe. We're a nation obsessed with becoming more and more safe. Seat belts weren't enough, so we added airbags. Then passenger air bags. Then side impact airbags. Before you know it, we'll all be driving bumper cars simply because it will be the only way to approach the new standard by which we live = "one life lost is one life too many." The problem with that thinking is that it's all about us. It doesn't extend to those who really need help.

This quest for life of safety is causing people to no longer take any risks. I'm not talking about extreme athletes - those guys amaze me. The people I'm speaking about are those that simply sit on the sidelines and never engage any of the critical issues of our time. The people who won't get involved in any of the many worthwhile causes to help eradicate AIDS in Africa. Or the people who will not get involved in the inner-city because it's dangerous.

Or many Christians. It seems that many (most?) Christians are what I'll call "by the book Christians" - they know the Scriptures but don't necessarily live them. Why is that? I think in part it's a fear they have, being afraid that someone may judge them, or their efforts may fail. The necessity to be safe paralyzes the people that are most needed to impact and change this world.

The Apostle Paul was certainly not safe. He took many risks, often resulting in personal pain and suffering. But what he accomplished as a result of his sacrifice changed the world. Of course his model was Jesus. Did Jesus play it safe? Hardly. He took on the establishment, calling into question the religious leaders of his day. He too paid a price. But here's the thing. The price Jesus paid allows us to take more risks than ever. Our future is guaranteed. We can step out into the fire, knowing Jesus will rescue us. We can share our faith because we're called to do so. We can work to help heal those suffering in Africa, because those suffering are our brothers. We can minister in the inner city, because their pain is our pain.

And we can do this knowing that whether successful or not, regardless of how our efforts might be judged by others, that Jesus is with us, having already paid the ransom that allows us to risk all to gain even more.

You see, the thing is, the more we play it safe, the more people die. To AIDS, to hunger and thirst, to inner-city violence, etc. When we play it safe, we become accomplices in the death of millions. Playing it safe is making a choice - a choice to not save the lives of God's children. And, don't forget, this choice will be judged - Matthew 25:45-46 - "'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Then they will go away to eternal punishment..."

It's time to take some risks and kill the safety-first mindset. Once we've done that, we can get on with Jesus' mission for our lives.