Should Christians take risks?
Human beings have a complicated relationship with risk.
My simple definition of risk is “the potential that harm and reward may result from a particular action.” This is not the technically correct definition of the word “risk.” Oxford Languages, which supplies the definitions for words searched on Google, defines “risk” as follows: “a situation involving exposure to danger.”
The reason I include the potential for good in my definition of the word is that my definition reminds us that risks often come with an “upside,” a potential (or even a guaranteed) advantage which may exceed the potential for harm.
I suppose I am revealing my answer to the question in the title of this article. Yes, I do believe Christians should take risks.
But what risks should Christians take? Also, are all Christians called to take the same risks? Finally, why do some people seem more drawn to risk-taking and others seem more averse to it?
We will look to the teaching of Jesus to help us answer these questions, but let’s first try to establish some common ground in our understanding of risk.
The mathematical study of probability is helpful in providing an objective basis for thinking about risk. Probably most humans would agree that if the probability of reward outweighed the probability of harm or loss in the outcome of taking a particular risk, the risk should be taken. However, this statement is complicated by the attempt to measure the value of the reward and the value of the loss.
For example, if a person could invest $1,000 in a business venture for 1 week with a 75% chance of returning $5,000 in 1 week and a 25% chance of a complete loss of the $1,000, the person would likely take the risk if the person could easily survive the $1,000 loss. However, if a person only had $1,000 in the world, such a risk could be catastrophic and cause him to go hungry or become homeless. To the first person, the magnitude of the potential loss is not sufficient to prevent him from taking the risk, but for the second person, the magnitude of the potential loss is significant enough that he may not be willing to take the risk.
So, probability of loss / reward and magnitude of loss / reward must be considered in evaluating risk scenarios.
In addition to probability and magnitude, a third factor influences a person’s willingness to take risks, and this is the person’s innate risk tolerance. Some humans simply have a higher natural comfort with risk than others. Two people might have the exact same economic situation and ability to survive a $1,000 loss in the example above, and one person would certainly take the risk, and the other person would certainly not take the risk (or would only take it with great reluctance) because the first person might have a naturally high tolerance for risk and the second person might have a naturally low tolerance of risk.
So, probability of loss, magnitude of loss, and tolerance for risk all affect a person’s willingness to take risks.
Do we agree?
What does this have to do with following Jesus?
Let’s examine some simple teachings of Jesus to set the stage for our concluding thoughts.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:24–25)
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44–46)
Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25–33)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19–20)
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17–19)
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot
In light of these teachings of Jesus, the apostle Paul, and the missionary Jim Elliot, I will offer some simple answers to the questions I proposed above.
What risks should Christians take? Christians should take risks which involve probability of loss in this life and which involve probability (or, in the words of Jesus, Paul, and Jim, guarantee) of reward in the next life. The magnitude of losses in this life (even the losses of family and one’s own life) are finite because they are temporary. The magnitude of losses in the next life are infinite because they are eternal. Therefore, taking risks which involve harm in this life in exchange for reward in the next life are always good risks to take.
Are all Christians called to take the same risks? In my answer to the previous question, I only addressed probability and magnitude of risk. I did not address each person’s innate risk tolerance. It is clear from basic observation of human nature that some people have higher risk tolerance than other people do. Does that mean each person may be called to take different and unique risks, in keeping with his or her own God-given risk tolerance? I would argue that the answer is yes, but that the spiritual character of those risks will always be the same. That is, all Christians are called to take risks which might result in personal harm in this life and which will result in personal gain in the next life. For some Christians, obedient risk-taking may be engaging in activities which will result in near-certain martyrdom. For other Christians, obedient risk-taking may be engaging in activities which will simply cause annoyance to his or her family, such as taking time to pass out food to poor and needy people in the name of Jesus. Both actions are risks worth taking. The question each person must ask is as follows: What risks is God asking me personally to take?
Why do some people seem more drawn to risk-taking and others seem more averse to it? God loves big things and small things. He loves loud things and quiet things. He loves bright things and dim things. He loves strong things and weak things. He loves mighty things and humble things. His truth can be found everywhere. He has designed human beings with a diversity of natures, in-keeping with His creative nature. Some humans are protectors and guardians; others are adventure-seekers and pioneers. Some are cultivators and others are nomads. All of these characteristics can reflect God’s glory and nature in particular ways.
However, all Christians are called to take risks which reveal the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus, because those kinds of risks reveal a spiritual realm which has far greater rewards than this present age could ever possibly offer.
Questions for discussion:
What risks is God asking you to take in your life?
In your risk-taking, is the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus being revealed in ways which can be clearly seen by others?
What barriers exist in your life and heart which are preventing you from taking the risks God is asking you to take?