Following Jesus Is Risky Business

In 1974, Sylvester Stallone was a struggling actor. He had been turned down for various parts. He had a pregnant wife and an apartment that he couldn't even afford.

During this bleak time, he sat down, and in four days, wrote a movie script about a down on his luck boxer who got a shot at the heavyweight championship. The script was so good that movie studios wanted to buy it and film it.

Stallone, though, put a condition on purchasing the script. In order to make the movie, a studio had to guarantee he would star in it. Many studios balked. They wanted the script, but not the actor. Stallone persisted, despite his financial troubles. Finally, one studio agreed and the rest is history.

Rocky went on to win the Academy Award for best picture. Stallone's career took off. He never faced financial peril again.

Stallone took a great risk in order to gain a great reward.

Sometimes God asks us to do the very same thing. He has great plans for us, but they require great risk on our part. The question becomes will we take a risk to follow God's plan?

In Ruth, Naomi asks Ruth to take a great risk in asking Boaz for marriage. She goes to a place he is guarding to approach him at night and lay next to him. It would have been easy for a lot to go wrong in that situation.

You see, God is not always safe. He asks people to enter perilious situations in order to further the Gospel. The apostles faced danger every time they spoke. Many missionaries have died sharing Christ. Men have been killed for translating the Bible into English. All were dangerous things. All were risks worth the rewards.

So, what is Jesus asking of you? What risk do you need to take for the Kingdom of Christ?

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