Taking a Risk!

 

            Serving Christ sometimes requires us to take risks.  Just like the talents that were distributed in the Parable of the Talents, those risks may be proportionate to our ability to handle them.  Some may be called to take the risk of uprooting their family and moving to a third-world country, where the culture and language are completely different.  Yet, the greatest risk may be learning to serve in an anti-Christian, anti-American culture.  I would guess that those are the ten-talent people.

            Others are called to serve in their own culture but may still be torn away from extended family to serve in some of the least reached areas of our nation.  Their risks will involve low pay and loneliness and if they are truly bold in their witness, they will also experience some of the same anti-Christian culture.  They are what we might call the five-talent people.

            Then, there are the rest of us, called to serve wherever we are, “as we are going”.  That may not sound like much of a risk but for those of us who are introverts, it seems like a giant risk, but unless we want to incur the wrath of the Master, just as the one talent servant did, we need to accept the risk.  Keep in mind that taking a risk does not always mean that we will succeed.

            Almost a year ago, the Lord laid a task on my heart to reach out to my neighbors.  I had just started a Bible Study in my home with some friends, and it seemed like a good idea to try to duplicate that with my neighbors.  As an introvert, I knew a couple of my neighbors by name and had spoken to a few but beyond that, I had no relationship with them.  That was the first mistake.

            One morning, I walked up and down my street putting “invitations” into the paper boxes of each of the 15 houses on my street, inviting the “ladies of the house” to a get-together to consider starting an informal Bible Study.  That was my second mistake.

            When the day and time arrived, I waited patiently with my snacks and scrumptious desserts.  As the minutes clicked by, it became apparent that no one was coming.  I took the risk, but nothing happened – or so I thought.

            A few days later, I had a great conversation with my next-door neighbor, and we discussed the possibility of trying again in the future.  Then, I got an email from one a few doors down that I had never met, apologizing for not coming but asking to be included if I did it again.  That email gave me her name so when her husband passed away a few weeks ago, I was able to reach out to her as a neighbor, not a stranger.  I also had conversations with several others.  On Christmas Eve, when we had ice and snow, one of them reached out to me to see if I needed anything.  That was another first.  Then, more recently, I became part of a group text with 5 other neighbors, and we all prayed together as one of them had knee surgery and the husband of another had surgery. 

            I don’t know what the final result of my initial “risk” will be, but I am confident that God is still moving, and when the time is right, He will probably have another “risk” for me to take.  The question is what will I do with my one talent?  Bury it or use it to produce fruit?  How about you?  Are you ready to take a risk?

Matthew 25: 14 - 30