In The Face Of Resistance

What is it that prevents us from taking risk?  Maybe you hope to talk about God with your roommate?  Or maybe your co-worker; even your boss?  Each time you see your neighbor the opportunity presents itself, to invite them over, but we come up short.  Fear sets in.  We prefer the couch of our private comfort.  The spies of Moses were called to such a project.  In Numbers 13, Israel was on the precipice of entering the promise of God or shrinking back into a labyrinth of doubts, tests, vain attempts of self-reliance, and bitter endings.   

Maybe we too have surveyed the land, we taken into account the risk, and worked up the courage, but when the moment comes we shrink back.  We make excuses. “The timing wasn’t right.”  Or, “I don’t want to rock the boat just now.”  Certainly the case can be made to count the cost.  We might lose the respect of our roommate.  We may lose a friend.  Clearly, wisdom must also be considered.  ”Fools rush in.”  Sometimes it is not what we say that offends (although the gospel is offensive), but how we say it that drives most away.  However, someone must say something regarding the truth of the matter.  A decision must me pressed.  Will internal fears for acceptance overwhelm the urgency of eternal matters regarding those we live and work near?  

Jesus threw down a challenge to those who would follow, it is a risk.  It is never a question of fearing and not fearing.  It is always a question of who we will fear the most in each moment of life.  Will we fear people or fear God?  Will we let the powers of influence bully us around, or will we order our lives under the omniscient gaze of Christ, who goes with us to the pockets of the world to be his witness?  Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia asked about Aslan, the Christ figure in the story, “Is he safe?”  ”Safe?” was the response.  ”Who said anything about safe?  ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”  Following Christ pushes us out to public humiliation.  We should ask ourselves why we are afraid.  We should ask ourselves, did God consider us worth the risk.  Yes He did.  He took the risk of personal scorn and even death to win us.  He or she is worth the risk.Let