Earlier in the year I came to the conclusion that anyone who doesn't find themselves needing to wear a helmet on a regular basis, is probably not really living. You could say I wear a number of different hats, depending on whether I am climbing trees, dirt biking, horseback riding, or just supervising construction at my new office. Pretty much any activity that requires a helmet entails some level of risk, and risk is an important part of life. In most cases it is a prerequisite for growth and learning. In finance, the potential return on an investment is usually linked to the level of risk. In relationships with other people, the depth of connection or intimacy developed will be limited if either party is unwilling to take the risk required. That will apply to your relationship with God as well.
So how do we handle all of these things we encounter in life that are risky? There are a variety of ways to approach risk management, depending on the situation. Much of the training for ropes course work revolves around risk management. Physical risks are managed by having backups in place for the systems being used. Ideally, if any one piece breaks, something else will still be able to support the load. Frequent close inspection of everything being used, occasionally from an outside perspective can also minimize risks. For the mental and emotional risks, taking things one small step at a time and slowly working up to the bigger challenges can help prevent risks from becoming overwhelming. Doing things as part of a group can be helpful as well, so that you have the support of a team backing you up.
About a year ago I was invited by my roommate at the time, to attend a small group bible study. He warned me that it would probably be outside of my comfort zone. The other members of the group had a fairly different idea of who God was and what he would do, than I was familiar with. After taking a few steps to manage the risk, like observe a similar but smaller gathering, and arrange to go with a group of people I knew and trusted, I went and checked it out. It was fairly shocking at a certain level, but I learned a lot, and walked away with a lot to think about. When my roommate asked what I thought of the experience the next morning, I only had one observation: "Definitely very dangerous."
The idea of being dangerous is an interesting concept. The word usually has a negative connotation, but it is not necessarily a bad thing, unless you are afraid of risks in any form. Being dangerous usually requires some level of power, and involves risk. Objects can be dangerous, ideas can be dangerous, and people can be dangerous. I have been reading John Eldredge's book Wild at Heart, and his premise is that all men desire to be dangerous in some form. "If you do not supply a boy with weapons, he will make them from whatever materials are at hand." He sees this as a positive thing, an important part of life. I don't necessarily disagree, but the idea takes a little getting used to, especially since our politically correct culture frowns on anything that could be construed as promoting violence.
As someone who studied fencing as a martial art, and a skilled archer who goes by the name Bull’s-Eye in certain circles, I don't know what it is like to be totally devoid of that trait, so I may under appreciate it. But from another perspective, my life hardly scratches the surface of what is possible in that regards to being dangerous. I know guys trained as Navy SEALS who are far more dangerous than I will ever be, and I accept that. They make many sacrifices to be in that position, which I value and appreciate but am not ready to make myself. (I am pretty perseverant, but sometime during the cold water endurance part of that training, I would be done) But I suppose I am dangerous enough that I don't feel insecure about that aspect of my character. Both risk and danger are not things that are missing from my life.
Keep in mind that taking risks does not make you dangerous, but you can't become dangerous without taking some risks. Interestingly, you can replace dangerous in that statement with rich, friends, married, Christian, or a variety of other terms, so we see that risk plays an important role in most aspects of life. But because of that, it is important to take steps to manage risks wisely.
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