Risking some things

Last week our Small Group gathered to share a meal, and it was both beautiful and joyful. Part of the discussion around the table was, “What was your favorite toy as a child, and what might that tell us about you?” It was illuminating. So many straight lines from favorite toy to vocation and interest decades later.

My favorite toy, by far, was a cowboy outfit consisting of a suede leather vest and chaps, a two-and-a half gallon hat (I was a lot smaller then), and two cap guns that looked like pearl-handled revolvers. I wore that outfit nearly everywhere till it was unwearable. A little later, my best friend, Peter, owned an American Quarter Horse named JR, which we spent a lot of time over several years grooming and riding. Today, I still watch just about every cowboy show I can, own an overpriced wool “cowboy” vest from Filson (the J. Crew of the cowboy world), and am currently saving to buy the equipment required for Cowboy Action Shooting.

Beyond the fact that I can be a little quirky, I think what this might say about me is that I have always been exhilarated by adventure. From surfing, to motocross racing, to snowboarding, to church planting, to flying airplanes for fun. I truly enjoy adventure, especially those that, like most good adventures, require risking some things.

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus tells of a time when his followers will be marked as criminals and outcasts. A time when they'll be on trial for their lives because oftheir allegiance to him. And this passage, so vital and precise in its reference to the first generation of Christians, also has something to say to you and me today.

Clearly, even though we may not face the same dangers right here, right now, following Jesus means risking some things.

But is it an adventure we’re up for?