The Christian faith and risk aversion are incompatible …

An underlying reason why the church in America is weak and declining is that the average person professing to be a follower of Jesus is just as “risk averse” as any unbeliever.

If following Jesus was free of any risks to our comforts and preferences, there would be many more who would follow Christ. But we know there are real risks in being a faithful and obedient disciple who truly follows in the footsteps of Jesus. John Paton’s fellow church members tried to dissuade him from following God’s call to the mission field because of the known risks …

The first two Scottish missionaries sent to the New Hebrides Islands were killed and eaten by cannibals on the day they arrived. After that it proved difficult to find missionary volunteers. But even when John G. Paton agreed to go, well-meaning people in the church tried to dissuade him. One elderly man warned that he would be eaten by cannibals. Paton replied, “I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.” After fifteen years of fruitful ministry, almost everyone on the island of Aniwa where Paton ministered was converted.

Because Paton did not try to live out a faith that was averse to risk, God produced great spiritual fruit through his ministry.

Jesus had no fear about risking His life for us; following Him requires we not feed our fears of the inherent risks to faithful discipleship. The apostle Peter was blunt about the matter:

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps,” 1 Peter 2:21.

The professing Christian will find any attempt to remove their own cross from following Jesus to be a contradiction to his or her faith. Jesus said, “Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me,'” Luke 9:23.

Are you letting an aversion to risk keep you from a fully committed, faithful following of Jesus? How might God use your life to His glory and for His kingdom more fully if you overcame your fear of risking your life for Him?

Scotty