Called to a Life of Risk
In which Brent learns to invest in heaven’s gains even when times are tight
The Pun
The Prayer
The less I have, the more protective I become of what is left.
When energy is low, I am hesitant to commit to service. When finances are low, I am reluctant to spend. And when emotions are drained, I am resistant to caring. And to some extent, this makes sense. I have certainly overexerted my body, overspent my accounts, and given what I did not have to offer.
That said, in times of weakness, poverty, and heartache I am prone to forget that, however little I have, I am called to a life of risk. This was the message of Christ to the hesitant disciple.
Jesus told the story of a man who went on a journey and left his servants in charge of investing his money. The one who received five talents managed to turn them into ten and the one who received two tricked and traded until they become four. But the servant who was given just one played it safe, burying it in the ground until the master returned. The two who played the market were put in charge of more but the one who played it safe was fired. The message was clear: if you don't play the game, you don't have a chance at winning (Matthew 25:14-30).
Safety is not the aim of the Christian life. We do not bury talents, stockpile seed or huddle in forts. We invest to get a return.
We sell everything to buy a field of hidden treasure and liquidate the jewelry store to obtain the most valuable pearl in the world (Matthew 13:44-46). We count the cost and build towers, we count armies and go to war (Luke 14:28-32).
We scatter seeds generously and indiscriminately hoping some will fall on fertile soil (Matthew 14:1-23) while putting our hand to the plow, not looking back, hoping to be counted worthy of the Kingdom (Luke 9:62).
We leave ninety-nine sheep behind to rescue the lost one (Luke 15:1-7), we put beaten up strangers in hotels at our own expense (Luke 10:25-37), and we pour out priceless perfume in honor of a Savior (John 12:3).
We leave nets behind to fish for men and treasure behind to take hold of heaven (Luke 5:10-11, Matthew 9:9, Matthew 10:21). We renounce possessions to become disciples (Luke 14:33), heritages to be born again (John 3:3), house and home to gain a hundredfold (Matthew 19:29). We take up crosses to be counted worthy and we lose our lives to find them (Matthew 10:38-39).
The first command was to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28) and as believers we are still meant to spend seed to gain the fruit:
We love in a world that hates.
We rejoice in a world that mocks what we celebrate.
We we reach out in peace in a world that wants to conquer and are patient in a world of first come, first serve.
We are kind in a world that takes, good in a world that does not reward righteousness, and fully faithful in a world that is inconsistent.
We are gentle in a world that is rough and self controlled in a world of ambition.
These are the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is risky business living this way in this world but now and again the seed falls on fertile ground and bears a crop, sometimes a hundredfold, sometimes sixty and sometimes thirty (Matthew 13:8). And to be sure, it's not easy. It takes the cunning of a serpent and the wit of a businessman to turn a profit in the spiritual realm (Matthew 10:16, Luke 16:1-13). But it is worth it, even when times are tight.
The Christian life is not lived in a vault but rather played on the stock market. We gamble the stuff of earth to gain the stuff heaven.
Thank you for your article Brent. It is full of wisdom that I see worked out in your life. Praying for you. Love, Aunt Phoebe