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Picture it. You are sitting on campus in the lounge and you hear some students across from you talking. One of them is quite upset about a broken ankle that will keep her from playing her sport this season. The other is too stressed about a major report due in just a few days to even notice her friend’s distress. You don’t mean to be nosy, but something in your heart tells you to say something. Have you ever had those moments?
I’m willing to bet that on a college campus, you as a leader have encountered dozens of situations in which you felt led to do or say something, but didn’t. Don’t worry, we are all guilty. There is a lot of risk involved in that scenario. Some thoughts might include: “They are going to think I’m so rude for listening to their conversation!” ,“I don’t even know what to say!”, “What if my prayer for healing doesn’t work?”, “What if I look stupid?” I will admit, I have had these thoughts and more. I want to ask you perhaps a more important question, what happens if you don’t risk it?
In the kingdom of God, risk is always right. When we don’t risk it, we can be absolutely sure that nothing will change. This can initially be a terrifying thought. Risking your time, money, health, relationships, and even reputation doesn’t sound all that appealing. However, when put in right perspective, its the perfect set up to be used by God. I recently read a book by John Piper that I would like to highly recommend called, “Risk is Right”. (Really, read it!) Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book:
“If our single, all-embracing passion is to make much of Christ in life and death, and if the life that magnifies him most is the life of costly love, then life is risk, and risk is right. To run from it is to waste your life.”
We have an opportunity on our campuses to be the agents of change. When we aren’t willing to risk everything we have for the sake of Christ then really what are we doing? Jesus is worthy of it all. Do you believe that? Jesus gives you the strength, Jesus gives you the words, Jesus gives you the courage. Fear has no place because the Almighty God is with you always.
So what does this practically look like for you on your campus? It means being willing to risk changing up your meetings to reach more people. It means being willing to risk sounding stupid when you suggest a crazy big outreach idea. It means being willing to risk being awkward to pray for someone who might need it more than you know.
The girl wasn’t instantly healed if you were wondering, but the quality conversation I had with those girls about Jesus was worth the risk of looking crazy. God is with you and He wants to use you. Risk is right.
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