AGAINST PLAYING IT SAFE

God encouraged risk-taking. When you stop to think about what God was asking Abraham to do in Genesis 12, it really is unreasonable – according to conventional wisdom. God tells Abraham to leave home. Home represents everything that is familiar and comfortable. God says, “leave it behind.” That would be hard enough, but it gets even worse…or better depending on how you read this.

In addition to asking Abraham to leave home, God says nothing about Abraham’s destination. We’re used to being able to peruse the pictures of the hotel we’re staying at. Abraham had no such luxury. God is asking Abraham to live on the edge.

Here’s where this story becomes inspiring. Abraham lived a huge life; a big life; an influential life. And none of it was comfortable. Jesus lived an even bigger and more influential life and none of it was comfortable. Suddenly a theme develops.

Perhaps, especially within American evangelicalism, we have grown too comfortable. Vitality isn’t found in the comfortable. Vitality is found in living life on the edge. Maybe we Christians need to stretch ourselves a bit and embrace the uncomfortable for the sake of following Jesus.

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