Is risk aversion undermining my mission?
Don’t think, just do!
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Top Gun Maverick
According to author Stephen Covey, the greatest risk is the risk of riskless living. This assertion is particularly easy to appreciate in the context of the investment world I have inhabited for decades. No risk equals no return! That said, the concept of risk aversion can be applied more broadly. Most importantly, it can undermine one’s mission.
The catalyst for this blog was the horrible shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas on May 24th in which a teenage gunman fatally shot nineteen students and two teachers and wounded seventeen others before being killed by police. A recent report released by the Texas State House of Representatives said systemic failures on the part of law enforcement and various governmental agencies played a major role in the many deaths.
Perhaps the most shocking finding was the 75 minutes it took for a large contingent of heavily armed police officers to kill the gunman. While it is impossible to definitively attribute the motivation of individual officers, it is plausible that risk aversion might have undermined their duty (mission) to protect the public.
Without trivializing the horror of Uvalde, it brings to mind a parallel between the mission of the police and that of the church. Just as the calling of the police in Uvalde was to rescue captives, the calling of followers of Jesus is to rescue not-yet-believers held captive by the devil. And just as risk aversion appears to have undermined the mission of the police on this occasion, risk aversion can undermine the primary mission of the church to make disciples.
Most would agree that the teenager’s murderous rampage was evil. At the same time, many would consider the devil a primitive, even quaint, explanation for evil. However, according to the Bible, the devil is real and we are his captives. Forever opposing God, the devil's primary goal is to obscure the truth of God’s love and His desire for relationship with all people through faith in Jesus Christ. The devil’s methods are well laid out in “The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis in which Uncle Screwtape (the devil) provides tactical guidance to his nephew Wormwood (a junior demon) to facilitate the accomplishment of their mission. The devil’s mission notwithstanding, Jesus has destroyed his work!
By reframing our relationship with those around us as a rescue mission, we clarify the stakes.
By reframing our relationship with those around us as a rescue mission, we clarify the stakes. Here are three questions to which positive answers can help believers overcome the all too natural inclination to avoid sharing their faith due to the perceived risks:
Do I really understand the Good News? As per Greg Gilbert’s little book “What is the Gospel?,”many Christians today simply don’t understand the Gospel. Every believer should read it! A better understanding of the horrible plight of our neighbors should give us a missional backbone.
Do I really understand that God has commanded me to love my neighbour as myself? If I don’t share my faith, I’m not loving God since Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey me.”
Do I really understand the urgency? Quoting “Maverick” (see above), “Don’t think, just do”! To help Christians overcome the common tendency to overthink, I recommend “The Ten Second Rule” by Clare de Graaf. The book’s cover is the current screensaver on my iPhone!
Is risk aversion undermining your mission?
Photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash
