Unplugged SIGNIFICANCE FIRST — SAFETY SECOND
A frustrated reader sent this email: “Dr. Dixie, it feels like I am being “protected” almost out of existence. I’m being told how much bacteria is in my kitchen sink, and whether I should have a tornado shelter or not. ‘It (a horrific disaster) could happen tomorrow!’ speculates a so-called educational program that is watched by American students. Yesterday a store greeter instructed me ‘you have a safe day now!’ What if I want to have a significantly productive day? This “safety first” culture won’t allow me to pursue that—I might actually have to be uncomfortable or take a risk!”
Ours is a confused culture; obsessed with safety ononehand,and“nolimits”ontheother. In the cultural rush to eliminate all risk and discomfort, our God-given incentive to explore and push constructively beyond our known boundaries has been terribly hindered. Human beings, created in the image of God, are predisposed to pursue productive risk. We are designed to find a portion of our significance in progress and productivity.
The non-productive risk-taking we continually hear about, including promiscuous sex, drug use and extreme sports like volcano-boarding, train-surfing and cliff-diving, is a backlash against the unreasonable restrictions of over-protection; it’s a bored, foolish, destructive attempt to fulfill our bold and daring design.
For Christians, the conflict between significance and safety arises because we’ve heard the Truth: when Jesus writes our life story, it will ultimately, safelyendin“happilyeverafter.” Butthis is frequently misunderstood as something that should happen fully here on earth. Even when difficult life experiences prove it’s not true, we believe “God must be mad at me.” We half-heartedly hope that Jesus will come through for us, sort of like Superman. After all, if God exists to ensure our safety, convenience and comfort, He will surely always “show up” just in time to save us from harm.
But good men and women die doing right: many who make heroic choices don’t live to tell their own story. Observing that reality, we shrink back anxiously from the productive risk that furthers the Kingdom of God.
“It’s always safest in the center of God’s will.” Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom recounted in The Hiding Place how her sister, Betsie, encouraged her with these words of hope as they suffered starvation and constant threat of death in Hitler’s Auschwitz. For these women, enduring punishment for hiding Jews in their home, the promise of safety in the center of God’s will had nothing to do with safeness, convenience and comfort. Rather it meant walking with integrity, making the character of God visible to others, no matter what the circumstances or results. Corrie lived to tell the story; Betsie did not.
If we believe “safety in the center of God’s will” means God wants us to be wherever we’re most comfortable, or where we most feel like being, we’ll persistently pursue the path of least resistance, remainingweakandafraid. Wemustask, where would Christianity be if the disciples had pursued safety rather than significant, constructive risk? Where will it be in the next generation if safety and comfort becomes the ultimate goal of modern Christianity?
God is ultimate significance. We find our significance in the intimacy and joy of relationship with Him; collaborating with Him; concluding that it’s best to be wherever God wants us to be, even far beyond our comfort zone. He loves us, and wants us to trust Him for provision and strength, as we risk the loss of safe, comfortable convenience to expand His Kingdom.
Infinite Grace Ministries exists to teach that we can trust the infinite love and mercy of God. Because God is faithful and good, we can trust Him to strengthen us to be bold, courageous, and to explore, advancing through necessary risk. Call 580-774-2884 for more information, and to find how you can be part of this important ministry.
