“For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25). There are two kinds of people in this verse: those who are self-serving and those who would risk everything for the sake of someone else. While most of us would certainly not fit into the extreme category of selfishness, we also fail to fully commit ourselves to the opposite lifestyle. We do not take the necessary risks to do the work of the Father and thus never really see fulfillment. The kind of service in the above verse is not half-hearted or casual, but totally committed.

But many are unwilling to take the risks. The loss might be financial or social – one might lose one’s health, friends, or status in order to serve God properly. Taking risks for God may involve losing a loved one because of the hardness of his or her heart. Risk taking may expose other people to dangers also, including family members. When asks us to be willing to lose our lives for His sake, how far do we take that? How much do we appreciate the weightiness of such a concept? The writer of Hebrews recalls faithful people who risked all for God, explaining, “Others experienced mockery and scourging, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy)” (Hebrews 11:36–38). But in all of this they gained approval from God and inherited something more than this physical world. For those unwilling to give heartily to God, they receive their treasure in full. But for those who store up treasures for themselves in the heavenly abode, all of the loss, pain, suffering, and mistreatment of this physical abode means very little. “Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:13–14).

The Myth Of Security

Many do not take risks for God because they are unwilling to lose what they believe to be security. For the person who “wishes to save his life”, that is play it safe, you need to keep in mind a certain undeniable reality: there is no safety in disbelief or disobedience, and neither is there any in lukewarm or fake Christianity. Safety is only an illusion that Satan has implanted in our minds and culture. We are led to believe by various impulses that if we do not “pick a side” of if we just stay out of commitment in a religious sense, then we are not in danger of succumbing to the numerous ills of more faithful Christians. But trials happen to all people! It would have been very easy for those observing the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:58–60 to conclude, “And see?! That’s what happens when you stick your neck out for your faith!” Fortunately, the result of the persecution that followed was anything but a weakening of faith for many believers (Acts 8:1–4).

“I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise, nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all. Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them” (Ecclesiastes 9:11–12). Not all of the plans that we make ever come true, so just assuming that because you do not speak out for Christ, live a consistent life between work and church, or speak with the same level of grace and righteousness in all circles does not mean your job, home, or health is secure. It seems to make more sense, rather, to take risks for Christ and know for a fact that you will face trials (1 Peter 4:12–16) than to be afraid of religious commitment and not know where, how, or why the calamity will fall upon you.

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). Both of the above passages make it clear that risk is an inherent part of life. In every way, no matter what we do, we face dangers and trials around every corner. The person who resists the Gospel because he believes it is the “safe” thing to do is really just believing in a myth. Safety is a mirage. We become deluded and think that religious conviction may jeopardize a security that does not actually exist.

The Fantasy Of A Safe Place

In the midst of their wilderness wanderings, the Israelites eventually reached a point where they wanted to return to Egypt, for they perceived it to be a place of safety and comfort. “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt” (Numbers 14:4). They argued that in Egypt they had abundant food, water, and comforts, and that even slavery was preferable to wandering aimlessly through a barren wilderness. Of course, this is not the last time that Egypt’s mystique would captivate God’s people. Isaiah warned Hezekiah and Judah not to turn to Egypt for help when Assyria menaced them (Isaiah 30:1–5). During Jeremiah’s time, the people of Judah refused to listen to God’s command to make peace with Babylon, instead believing that Babylon was dangerous and Egypt would be a safe place to hide (Jeremiah 42:7–17). Foolishly, they failed to heed the message and found themselves in even greater danger in Egypt.

  • These people were gripped by the enchantment of a safe life. They believed in the notion that there is a sheltered and secure way of life apart from the path of godliness.
  • After beginning our journeys with zeal and moral fortitude, many of us lose sight halfway through the journey of our actual goal. The present conditions may seem harrowing, yet where we came from will never compare with what we are striving for. The Israelites had slavery to Egypt and we once had slavery to sin. We strive now for a promised land, in spite of the difficulties on the road.
  • “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
  • “I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).

Risking For God Is Right, But No Guarantee Of Safety

“If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16)

Confronted with the opportunity to either risk it all or run away, Esther steadfastly proclaimed that she was willing to give up everything for what she knew was right. If she died in the process of saving her countrymen and foiling a wicked man’s plot, then that is how it would happen. But the powerful lesson we learn is this: she did not know what the outcome would be. She had no special revelation from God, nor did she have angels giving her care and guidance. She simply made the right decision and handed the outcome over to God. We tend to avoid evangelistic opportunities because we “just know he’ll never want to become a Christian” or “everybody will ridicule me at work.” Yet we do not know this for a fact! For all we know, our righteous words may result in the conversion of many souls.

“But even if He does not” (Daniel 3:16–18).

Once again we find righteous people, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who do not know how a situation will turn out. Yet with great hope and confidence, the three men boldly proclaimed their trust in God. They knew that God had the ultimate power to deliver or destroy. They knew that it was within God’s authority to send them to their deaths or to rescuer them. But notice a most striking phrase in verse 18, “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O King, that we are not going to serve your gods…” They believed that God would save them, but even if He chose not to, they would still believe in Him and remain righteous. What faith! And just as God is always good to His word, He does deliver them in the second half of this chapter. Read Daniel 3:19–26. We can, as well as the three young Jews in the story, praise God for His mercy and kindness in saving them from the fires of the furnace.

“Not knowing what will happen to me” (Acts 2:22–24).

“And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life, of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God”. Paul had two choices when faced with the daunting task of preaching the Gospel: either he would waste his life resisting the word he knew he needed to preach (1 Corinthians 9:16) or he would live with the risks of dangerous road, seas, Gentiles, Jews, wilderness, and even so-called brethren who wished him harm (Philippians 1:17).

Becoming a Christian is a great risk. Many faithful men and women have lived and died for God with many a pain. John the Baptist lost his head for speaking what was right. Stephen was stoned to death for his boldness. James was murdered in the name of Christ. Peter and the other apostles were beaten regularly. All of these people suffered greatly and never got to enjoy the comforts of this world. They spoke what was right, did what needed to be done, and sacrificed everything possible in whole-hearted devotion to God and His blessed Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. In the end, you have the same choice. You will either give everything for Him and find that which is life indeed, or seek your own well-being and lose that which is precious above all else. Be prepared:

  • To make some hard decisions, such as obeying the will of God over the will of your family (Luke 14:26).
  • To confess Christ and His truth when surrounded and outnumbered by unbelievers (Matthew 10:32–33).
  • To be ridiculed and labeled as a troublemaker, ignorant, or worse (Luke 6:22).
  • To be excluded and lose friends (Luke 6:22).
  • To lose some material or economic advantages (Luke 6:20–21).
  • To gain tremendous strength, character, confidence, joy, happiness, contentment, wisdom, and in the end, eternal life (Luke 6:23).