Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Safety
For some reason of late, when people find out that I'm raising my family in Homewood they have been asking me if it is safe. My wife and I pondered safety issues when we were first discussing whether or not to move to the inner city several years ago. We asked lots of questions in our search to find out if God was indeed calling us to live in Homewood. And over time, we discovered some answers to our safety questions. I think that American Christians are obsessed with safety. We do everything we can to control our lives and our kids' lives so that we can be as safe as possible. We go to great lengths to live in places that isolate us from perceived danger (and, unfortunately, we end up isolating ourselves from lots of good things in the process of distancing ourselves from risk). Often when we pray, we pray for safety. The problem is, I don't think we should pray for safety and comfort. I do not think the goal of being a Christian is to be safe. The goal of being a Christian is to join in God's mission to redeem the world, and that mission almost always involves danger, risk, and an intense calling from the Lord to throw ourselves with all of our hearts into the cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil. That mission has absolutely nothing to do with safety. Sure, we can ask for God's protection in the midst of difficult circumstances, but I do not think we should try to be safe. So, no, Homewood is not safe, but this is where God has called our family to live and the safest place for us to be is right in the center of God's will. Most people will not be called to live and minister in Homewood, but every single one of us should be living out a strong calling while joining in God's mission to reach the lost in all nations. One of the worst things we can do for our kids is shelter them from God's mission to reach people who are hurting and suffering simply for the sake of being safe. When they become adults, they will probably be confused about just exactly what it is that this whole Christianity thing is supposed to be about. When we teach our children to embrace risk as one of the central themes to our lives, then we do them a great favor. And the same holds true for us as adults. Let's choose to live dangerously for Christ every single day of our short lives.
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4 comments:
Thanks for your post. We are often asked the safety question, and this is a tough one for me. Living in a place that is definitely not "safe", I find myself struggling. As a mom, I fight fear for my children (and my husband, and yeah, myself) every single day. We are still working through the implications of living in San Salvador and how to not get killed in the process of reaching out...particularly to the gang community. We are searching for the way to follow our hearts, yet use our heads. But it's always a risk. Some of the toughest gangs in the world call the streets of San Salvador home, but if everyone stays "safe", who will ever reach them? It's a daily decision to trust God and step out of my comfort zone once again. But I have learned things about God outside of the safety zone that I never would have learned if I was too afraid to obey.
You know when we moved Pitcairn people said the same to us, and statistically speaking we are "safer" in the community we chose than Homewood. But as you said, "...the safest place for us to be is right in the center of God's will."
What a blessing to see young Christian families putting aside the "American Dream" the "American standard of Safety" and living radically for the Gospel. God does not call us to reach out and disciple only those who we deem as "safe" He calls us to go into ALL the world...including the inner city, San Salvador, Haiti, etc... where gangs, danger and disease fill the streets, and where Jesus can meet even the "least of these"
Great post!
Danielle and Carol... thank you for sharing your unique perspectives on this issue. Our callings may be different, but the mission is the same. I appreciate your obedience to the Lord!
Great post as always Bryan. A few years ago Randy read a book called "The Barbarian Way" that really opened our eyes to this concept. We raise our children to be wimps because we live in a culture obsessed with "safety" but most children - especially older teens and young adults are actually looking to be challenged in life and not choose "safety". We should be raising our children to be warriors for God. I am re-reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom and just read exactly what you said "the only safe place is in the center of God's will" Amen!
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