Risky Business

His master replied, "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?" - Luke 19:22&23

Have you ever taken a risk in your life? I don't mean a risk like gambling with money or dating someone you didn't really know, but putting yourself out there with a goal or trying something new?

When we try to do something we're never assured of success, but if we do not try at all we are assured of failure. Hockey great Wayne Gretzky said, "You will miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Jesus told a parable about a master who left three servants in charge of his estate while he went out of town, and gave them each a share of his money. Two servants doubled the money they were given, but the third servant hid it in the ground so it would be safe. And do you know what? The servant who hid the money was punished.

The reason we don't try is that we are afraid of failure. But failure is not failure if we give it our best shot. Failure becomes valuable wisdom as we learn what to do and what not to do. Failure becomes our teacher - if we let it. And failure paves the way on our road to success.

Sharing our faith involves risk. Starting a business involves risk. Starting a church or ministry involves risk. We will have to give up our pride and let go of our ego (caring what other people think of us). But this should not let us miss out on the fruit the risk may produce. We must be careful that we do not end up like the wicked, lazy servant.

Anything worth doing will involve some sort of risk. Are you willing to step out in faith today?

Related resource: Risk Is Right: Better to Lose Your Life Than to Waste It, by John Piper

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