Risk-averse, adj. Unwilling to take risks or wanting to avoid risk as much as possible. Cambridge.
One of the greatest Roman historians, Publius Tacitus, stated it very simply. “The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.” So true! As we look out upon the cultural landscape of America it is quite clear that risk-averse attitudes are everywhere. They are present from school playgrounds to college campus life, to community life, to business enterprises and to the halls of government at all levels. Sadly, this risk–averse thinking increased dramatically during the Corona Virus pandemic and has continued to permeate family life and consequently church life in many places across the fruited plain.
Risk-averse was formerly more of a term for the economic and financial realms and one can readily see where that has very practical application. An investor may only be comfortable with a “safe portfolio” and may believe that “risk capital” is only for those other ‘more intrepid’ souls. However, without risk/venture capital, and without risk takers/entrepreneurs our many medical, scientific, etc., discoveries would not have happened. Without risk-takers we would have remained “earth bound”, daunted by the risk of travel to the moon.
National Community Church Pastor, Mark Batterson, in his great book All In, identifies much of causative factors for our spiritual malaise. “When did we start believing that God wants to send us to safe places to do safe things? That faithfulness is, holding the fort? That playing it safe, is safe? That there is any greater privilege than sacrifice? That radical is anything but normal? Jesus didn’t die to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous. Faithfulness is not holding the fort. It’s storming the gates of hell. The will of God is not an insurance plan. It’s a daring plan. The complete surrender of your life to the cause of Christ isn’t radical, it’s normal. It’s time to quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. It’s time to go all in and all out for the All in All.”
The First Century Church was the antithesis of risk-averse and did not seem to be greatly concerned with the composition of the Roman Senate or the Town Council of Ephesus. They did seem to be greatly concerned with becoming and being “like the Christ”. Paul exhorted the Philippians and the Corinthians to follow his example as he followed the example of Christ. He challenged them to be transformed by the renewing of their minds…to be bold and immovable. Maybe we should resolve to give Paul’s challenge a “go”.
Dr. Frank Furedi, a Hungarian sociologist born into communism, gives this observation and conclusion regarding “risk-averse behavior” in his classic Culture of Fear:
“Striving for safety at any price is a compulsive behavior, rather than a virtue. Taking risk is a part of life. A society that fears taking risk will not celebrate heroism (courage, perseverance, honor, etc.) but rather victimhood. Safe passivity rather than bold activity becomes the esteemed virtue. The Western societies fear of taking risks, and a general risk consciousness, has contributed to the decline of traditional values. The growth of risk-aversion and regulation to mitigate risk has marginalized traditional morality.”
Christian men taking a unified stand, behind their pastors and with their communities, to engage the culture and reject safe passivity would certainly be a viable, consequential challenge to the evil forces mocking all that we hold dear. Men, rising up in their God-given masculine gender with a heart to serve others was characteristic of American men in The Founding Era. John Adams observed in 1776 that there was nothing in the Declaration of Independence that had not been “thundered from the pulpit” for two decades. It can be truly stated that it was The Church that made America possible and not vice versa. We should take note of this fact moving further into 2023.
What will be the esteemed virtue of The American Church in 2023, safe passivity or bold activity? The answer will be determined by Christian men, like you. who will determine the relevancy of the American Church in the culture, as well as, the future of our Republic. Christian men must unload their anemic risk-averse spiritual portfolios and adopt bold “adventure-based” spiritual portfolios.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
Barney Barnes, 03-06-2023, Warrior Spirit Ministries