“When he (the demon-possessed man) saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.”- Mark 5:6
“Perfect love casts out fear.”- 1 John 4:18
In Chapter 17 (“Dare the Devil”) of The Grave Robber, Mark Batterson tells us that he was present when Nik Wallenda crossed the Grand Canyon on a two-inch tightrope- complete with wind gusts of 30 mph. Nik had no safety net. At an early age, Nik was told by his grandfather that safety nets provide a false sense of security. Pastor Batterson explains:
“Many of us fail to achieve our dreams or experience the miraculous because we’re more focused on not falling than on taking the first step.”
Mark emphasizes that the word daredevil means more than the common negative connotation of risking life and limb for no reason. Literally, it means to dare the devil. Mark asserts daredevil should be the defining characteristic of every Christian, just as Jesus stood His ground when confronted by the demon-possessed man.
Consider what happened when Jesus threw the moneychangers out of the temple. Mark observes that the most amazing part of the incident wasn’t what Jesus did, but what the temple guard didn’t do- anything! Only the Daredevil would do something like that, as Dorothy Sayers writes:
“The people who crucified Jesus never, to do them justice, accused him of being a bore- on the contrary, they thought him too dynamic to be safe.”
Today’s question: As you contemplate your revitalized calling, are you primarily focused on safety nets or on taking the first step? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Stand firm in your faith”
