I was playing Monopoly with my son. He wants to beat me at a strategy game so bad. About mid game, he is winning. His roles are unbelievably lucky and I land on his big properties every time. I get to a place in the game where I am almost out of cash and I finally land on the property I need. If I buy it, it might win the game in the long term. However in the short term, I will be out of cash and one roll away from losing the whole game. I have a decision to make, play to possibly win or try not to loose.
I think it is easy to play life not to lose. Don’t stand out too much. Do what is expected. Play it safe. However in our safe life, we aspire to be the risk taker. We know deep inside doing something significant in obedience to God or to serve or give until it hurts requires tremendous risk. There are no guarantees or risk free options. It will require faith at another level.
2 Samuel 23: 20 Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. (emphasis added)
Chase the lion- Defining moments require risk
Benaiah is a man who chased a lion. He intentionally went after a 500 pound predator. One way or another, either the lion or Benaiah is going to die. The natural instinct to survive is powerful and both warrior want it. We would not know about Benaiah had he not chases the lion. We would not know about him if he had died. Billions of people will hear about him and be added to the scripture if he kills the lion. Notice now he did not just go after the lion he chased it. What causes a lion to tuck tale and need to be chased?
Sometimes God asks us to do something that takes significant risk. It might be to forgive someone who isn’t sorry or doesn’t deserve to be forgiven. It might be to give what you can’t afford. I might be to start something that hasn’t been done. It might be to move to a city you don’t know anyone. What I know for sure is when I get around Jesus followers and listen to their stories, the ones they come alive telling are the ones where they obeyed God even when it didn’t make sense.
A couple years ago, my friend was applying for a job. The job required transportation and just as he was about to begin his car broke down beyond repair. Johna and I prayed about it. I wanted to give like $500. We didn’t have $500 to give. Johna said we should give him our jeep. So we compromised like couples do and we gave him our jeep. We did not have the money to replace the jeep. So I rode a bike to work for months. I kept thinking God will give us a vehicle. It never did. We actually refinanced our house to pay for another vehicle. It still doesn’t make sense. However, we find so much joy in obeying God and seeing my friends face when I gave him our title for free.
Don’t misunderstand… I am NOT saying go gamble money playing the lottery or climb a mountain without gear.
What risk is God asking you to do? Go do it in faith! Forgive, give and serve until it hurts, love again, start it. We serve a big God with dreams! Go chase the Lion
Recklessly, obsessively following Jesus
Brandon Sereg
