The Risk of Life – Sunday, August 18, 1985
Rudyard Kipling, in a poem titled simply, “If,” investigates the many attributes of maturity. Among the attributes he discovers, one recurs in several forms: the courage to take risks— not the risks of the gambling hall, but of the life lived faithfully and well.
Perhaps “risk” is not a proper description of the faithful life, because there is a certainty in faith—a certainty more substantial than any of the supposed guarantees that the faithless life can offer. But faith does require a leap, an extension of oneself, a risk.
The apostles of Christ were defined by their willingness to take such a risk When Jesus called to Peter and Andrew on the shores of the Sea of Galilee to “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,”1 they did not count the costs, or weigh the risks. The scriptures say, “they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”2
How unlike the man who inquired of Christ, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”3 When the Savior responded that he, like the apostles, must be willing to forsake his wealth, that he must take up the cross, that he must extend himself to follow his Lord, the man went away unable to risk such sacrifice.4
But is faith really a risk? In the final analysis, it may be the only certainty, the only assurance in life. We may prepare ourselves against disaster and yet disaster may come more terrible than any of our preparations can protect us against. We may make wise investments, only to find that the chances of life turn our wisest decisions to foolishness.
Only by risking faith, only by accepting faith in Christ, are all other risks overcome, and life made certain. The confidence of the faithful is that whatever the temporary affliction, there will be healing whatever the calamity, there will be calm “If…” as Kipling wrote:
If you can dream — and not make dreams your master:
If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same. .
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it…5
And we would add if you can risk faith — even the faith of Christ — then you can put all other risks aside.
1 New Testament, Matthew 4:19
2 Ibid., 4:20
3 Ibid., Mark 10:17
4 Ibid., 10:21-22
5 “If” by Rudyard Kipling
August 18, 1985
Broadcast Number 2,922