Playing it safe can sometimes be quite dangerous.

One can choose to play it safe and refuse to risk, venture out, or try anything new.

Yet, a fear-based life comes at a price.

Of course there are times when it might be wise to hesitate before speaking or doing. I am not suggesting that one should not use wisdom or even common sense. Refusing to always play it safe does not mean that one needs to live recklessly.

Yet, far too often, we live in constant hesitation out of fear. Fear can result in playing it safe and, as a result, sacrificing much.

• Don’t ask people in the church to tell you what they really think. Play it safe. You might not like what they have to say.

• Don’t talk with that ministry leader in your church about something you disagree with. Play it safe. Instead, find a few key people and get them agitated and disturbed. They might get angry enough to go to that person themselves. In other words, manipulate others to do your work.

• Don’t disagree with the leaders in your church. Play it safe. They might not like what you have to say. Instead, kiss up to them in their presence, while you say what you really think in their absence.
• Don’t give people at work your real opinion. Play it safe. You may be the only one who believes the behavior in question is wrong. Then what would others think about you?
• Don’t preach to the church what you really think or what you believe. Play it safe. Measure your words. Cover your backside. After all, you have to take care of yourself.
• Don’t reveal that you are weak. Play it safe. Don’t admit that you were wrong. Show people strength, not weakness.
• Don’t show all your cards. Play it safe. Don’t you remember all of those times when others failed and disappointed you? You can’t really open your heart to these people. They will hurt you.

Play it safe.

Many do.

Sadly enough, ministers/elders/pastors/other church leaders regularly convey to their congregations that they are going to play it safe. Unfortunately, the church witnesses fear instead of faith. What a lost opportunity for a church to trust God.

It really is a paradox. When we spend most of our lives playing it safe, we are actually doing what is most dangerous. In the end, everyone loses – we lose and the people we influence lose.

Maybe one of the saddest statements that could be written about a church is that they had many opportunities to trust God, but they lived in hesitation not sure if he would come through. As a result, they played it safe-and lost.

Question:

What fears keep many people from experiencing a life of faith in God? What do we seem to fear most?