Sometimes You Just Gotta Take the Crazy Risk

Written By Sharie King

My son Joseph hasn’t played soccer since age four when all the kids form a giant mob, and kick and trip each other until they find the ball underneath. I wasn't ever sure if this was fun or torturous, but I reasoned, “It's good for him to make friends making friends.”

I suppose the mob traumatized him because he took a six year hiatus, but this year he decided to give it another try. To reward his bravery, the coach asked him to try out goalie. “Great!” I thought, “This has the potential to ruin his desire to play soccer for life!”

Thankfully, I was sorely wrong. Goalie has ignited Joseph's passion to be a leader and take risks. As I sat in the stands last night, I was tempted to panic. Every time the ball came down the field, Joseph aggressively pursued the ball to the edge of the goal box, leaving the safety of the goal itself. He rushed in risking injury to his head, body, hands, and even more an open goal. But, his instincts told him to pursue the ball without hesitation, and in the process he kept disarmed his opponents by taking the ball away before they got close enough to take a shot! He knew it was a risk, but the risk was worth the reward (possession of the ball).

On our drive home he started preaching to me, “You know mom, sometimes you just have to do crazy things and you don’t know how they’re going to turn out, but you just have to take the risk.”

Joseph had no idea how deeply his words hit my soul. As a leader, God often leads me toward unimaginable dreams or overwhelming fears which appear intimidating. I stand there, excitedly dreaming or anxiously praying. But at the right time, Jesus pushes me out of the nest and says,“Go!”

I wonder how many miracles I’ve missed because I was too afraid to move.

In Exodus 3:1-10, Moses was content in the desert because it had been his home for 40 years. But at the right time, God enticed his curiosity by causing a bush to burn...but not burn. This strange sight initially disarmed Moses, but he soon became apprehensive when God asked Moses to rescue his people who were suffering. God's compassion for his suffering people reached Moses' heart, but I'm sure he was intimidated by the calling.

Perhaps these emotional thoughts flooded his mind: “Why would you send me after I've found peace? Last time I tried to rescue a Hebrew, I committed murder. Why can’t you just do it God? Why…why…why?”

Because God was about to deliver his people from Pharaoh and Moses from his shameful past in one perfect plan. If my son Joseph were preaching to Moses, I think he’d say, “God wants you to leave the safety of the goal in order to be the deliverer He’s called you to be."

I wonder if some of you share my desire to remain safe. I wonder if you would also rather play it safe blocking the goal instead of risking a save in the danger zone. If so, I hope you can find your push out of the nest from Christine Caine:

“Impossible is where God starts. Miracles are what God does. The ingredients for a miracle are always in our midst. Anything that God asks us to do is impossible. If we can do it, then we don’t need God. The impossible makes us rely on God so that it’s literally impossible for us to take the credit.” (Catalyst 2015)

© 2015 by Sharie King.  All rights reserved.

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