Risking Life and Limb

"If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be too cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down." - Annie Dillard


After church some guys and I were talking about going mountain biking this coming Thursday. One said something like "if you can't get hurt, it's not worth riding." Someone else wisely commented back "Yeah, but now we have families so we can't risk too much." Without thinking I joked back, "That's the thing, because you have a family you have to live dangerously sometimes - its our responsibility to model and reinforce that taking risks is vital and important." I said it off the cuff, but as I reflected later upon it, I stand by it. Safety is an illusion in this world and God continually coaxes us to get out of our comfort zones. Living dangerously, isn't that what faith is all about? Not that we should court certain disaster of course but there is something in risking life and limb that makes us feel alive, courageous, and connected to true selves. Safety scares me.

I dedicate this video to my friend Keith. Hopefully this won't be us on Thursday! But I'm willing to risk it . . .