I was thinking about the parable of the talents yesterday and it led me to think about risk in a new way. The earthquakes and tsunamis made me think this is a good time to hunker down and play it safe. I'm not really a play it safe kind of guy but with so much upheaval in the Middle East and the price of oil going through the roof the recovery we've been enjoying is in jeopardy.

Yet in the parable Jesus didn't promise any of the three any more security than the others. But two took risks to improve their gifts because they wanted to please the master. They could have lost it all. They didn't but that is beside the point for the moment. What he rewarded was their risk. And their risk netted an increase too. But they had no guarentee.

The third guy chose not to risk. He played it safe. He was afraid he might lose. And his actions revealed he didn't really understand the master. He thought the master would be angry if he lost the investment. What he didn't understand was that the master wasn't as worried about losing the investment as he was wanting the men/women to know that he believed in them. He trusted them and he wanted them to live in that truth. He would rather they would risk and fail than fail to risk.

Risk equaled trust in his eyes. If they believed in him they would trust and if they trusted they would risk. Not to risk brought about his strongest rebuke which led me to think, I would rather risk and lose than risk facing a master who expected me to risk.

Go for it! If it is God honoring; if it is kingdom advancing; if you feel led and you do it for the right reasons--even if you fail. It will bless the heart of God. He believes in you. He's trusted His gifts to you and He is able to take it from here.

Gary