Get Risky (Link-up)

Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!

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There’s something you should know about me.

I’m not the biggest fan of heights. Perhaps I should be more specific: I’m not the biggest fan of “risky” heights.

I can fly in a plane with little worries. I can climb a mountain (A medium sized-one, anyways. This postpartum bod can only do so much.) I’ve been to the top of the Sears Tower and St. Louis Gateway Arch and managed not to flip out.

But when it comes to open air high-flying adventures? Um, yeah. No thanks. It’s gonna be a cold day in Orlando before you catch me jumping out of an airplane at 30,000 feet. (Sidenote: I know it can get cold in Orlando– the one time I was there, it frosted. So skydiving IS on my bucket list, but if I ever do it, it will not be premeditated, but rather a spur-of-the-moment-let-me-down-I’ve-changed-my-mind kind of thing.)

Taking a risky is so… risky. (Duh.) But as I was reflecting on this post, I started to think about the risks we DO take. Everyday. In the name of Jesus.

For me, I take a risk every time I push publish on a post. I never know who is going to read it and how they will react. These posts include bits of my heart and personality. That can be scary. But ultimately, I know that God is calling me to do this, and I would much rather live by faith than play it safe.

The rewards of obedience always trump the fear of risk.

There are a lot of misconceptions about “risk.” For most folks, the idea of taking a risk has to be something big. Earth-shattering. Something almost reckless.

I don’t agree. Everyday risks for Jesus don’t have to impact a thousand people. If our risk positively impacts one person in the name of Jesus (even if it is ourselves!) then one is enough.

We take a risk every time we get out of bed. I took a risk when I married my husband. (He’s a great guy– but marriage is a huge risk of rejection!) We took a risk when we decided to start a family. I took a risk when I answered the call to ministry. We risk rejection every time we share the news of Christ with a stranger or offer to do an act of kindness via Factor of 7.

I don’t tell you these things to make you live in fear. Instead, I want to encourage you to take a risk for Jesus right where you are. The risk of rejection doesn’t even compare to the rewards of being obedient to Him.

Are you “getting risky” in 2014? If so, what big or small risks have you been called to? How can you add more Everyday Jesus risks to your life? Leave a comment and join the conversation! (If you are reading via email, click here.)

Friends, there is no greater reward than taking a risk out of obedience to Christ. Be it big or small, nothing pleases God more than when we live by faith instead of play it safe. Let’s strap on our parachutes and get ready to jump out of our metaphorical Jesus plane in 2014. Because it’s time to get risky… For Christ.

Here’s to risking it all,