I had not realized that so many people were afraid of change until I started looking at individual reactions to the U.S. elections, a few weeks ago. Reading through “It All Depends From Where We Begin” brings home to me the idea that some people were, are genuinely afraid of the new administration in Washington, D.C., and of the economic decompression. Admittedly, it is not pleasant to see the economy imploding as it is. (Or, if it comes to that, the implosion of my own cash flow.) But the new administration? I should have thought that that, at least, would have brought a surge of relief and hope and confidence in the future. Most of the people I know were more in dread of there not being change. 

Risk taking is so very evident in the Bible. Immediately the names of Moses, Joshua, Esther, Ruth, Jonah, and John the Baptist come to mind, and there are so very many more. It is inevitable, when one follows God, that we are taking risks with the outcome of our lives in this world, where we live as strangers in a strange land. We walk across invisible bridges, and we depend on miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes and on the kindness of strangers. The reassurances that God gives to us seem flimsy:

Take no thought for tomorrow! Observe the lilies of the field! God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Having become Christians, we look ahead, placing our lives from this moment to eternity into God’s hands. Talk about risk! No matter how firm a person’s faith, it is challenging to put one’s life into someone else’s control, someone else’s keeping. Even into God’s hands! After that, though, I’ve taken the greatest risk I’m ever going to take. So why do these lesser risks threaten me? Because putting my hand to the plow, and then not looking back, might be a one-way trip. No way back. God is first in my life. Not me, but God. I may be first in God’s life (along with how many other people–all creation–that are first to God), but how can I keep God first in my life? How can I be sure that God wants the best, does the best for me, when he’s looking out for all those other people, too? (How can I cheat?)

Norman said, “Here is my point: God has given us what we need for the day. For those who have more than they need, there are those who have less and should be helped. Or we may one day find ourselves facing the dilemma of The Rich Man.” As much to the point is the belief that God has called us to love one another as Jesus has loved us; we are called to live in his love. If it is the case that “Truly I say to you, because you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,” then how can we not help others? That is our calling. To love one another as Jesus loved us. Loved us enough to die for us. 

I remember spending my summers as a child wandering through the fields and pastures. I didn’t do much watching of the wind blowing the grass. Got caught in some fierce summer storms, though. I have never felt so alive as when walking through the storms. Anyway, I spent a lot of my time, when I wasn’t trying to catch mice or snakes, telling myself elaborate stories, having adventures. 

In a way, this life as a Christian is as intangible as those adventures. But the invisible bridge to this adventure doesn’t collapse under my feet.