Less to Fear Than Anybody
So, a kid goes to a rock-climbing place for a birthday party. His dad watches as the staff puts his son in the harness and tightens it up. The belay rope is attached and checked. The staff guy is an experienced rock climber . . . you know because he has long hair and a beard. And a soft, confident way about him.
The boy climbs confidently to the yellow line. Then he looks down. Whoa! He has to make a decision. Do I keep climbing? Further away from the ground. Higher and scarier and more dangerous. He thinks, “I see this rope attached to me. I should feel safe!” The bearded one keeps reassuring, “You’re okay . . . I’ve got you . . . I won’t let go!”
Does the boy trust or not? Is the thrill of going further, climbing higher, reaching places he’s never gone worth the risk? Will Sherpa-man really never let go?
If the kid believes, he can climb with reckless abandon. Get all kinds of applause and cheering. Even write his name at the top of the indoor climbing wall. If he doubts, he belays down in silence to the sound of a few “way to go’s” from the parents.
Isn’t this the decision we make every day? Believe God, move forward in faith . . . free from fear, and try to tackle things way over our heads. We can live a full-on life with joy and fulfillment. Or doubt God and back down. We can chicken out. And then it’s all on us. We’re responsible.
Someone told me the most significant difference between entrepreneurs here in the south, and those in Silicon Valley is how they see failure. Out there, failure is almost a merit badge. You get credit for starting a company and giving it a shot. Failure is just what happens sometimes. Here in the south, a startup that fails or doesn’t get funded brings shame, embarrassment, and rationalizing about what happened. We mope and grieve and hide our faces.
Committed Jesus-followers have less to fear than anybody. In Psalm 118:6, David says:
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
We are loved. 100%. God can’t love us any more. God can’t love us any less. It’s just who He is. It’s just what He does.
So, what do you say? Will you go for it!? He’ll never let go!
Question: What’s the one thing you’d tackle if you knew you couldn’t fail?
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Write great music.