What RISK looks like. Pastor. Martyr. Prophet. Spy

Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

I recently finished reading a biography – Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas – on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer was a German born and raised theologian and scholar during the early 20th century. He is best known for his theological writing in the midst of an anti-Christian Nazi Germany.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer lived a life full of risk (seemingly out of line with the picture a scholarly theologian presents in your mind). Bonhoeffer was executed by the Nazi government in the waning days of WWII.

Here are just a few risks he took:

• Studied theology in spite of coming from a family that valued science and law above religion (most members were not “Christian”).
• Returned to Nazi Germany leaving the safety of America.
• Stood up to the Reich Church via writings, conversation and helping form a new church denomination in Germany (did you realize there was a national Reich Church?).
• Spied on Germany and participated in assassination plots against Hitler.
• Got engaged though he knew he was nearly certain to be arrested (he never was freed and able to marry).

In 1939, Bonhoeffer had the opportunity to escape Germany to live in America during the war. He did leave Germany for a few months, but ultimately returned. He wrote the following about  his decision:

Christians in Germany will face the terrible alternative of either willing the defeat of their nation in order that Christian civilization may survive, or willing the victory of their nation and thereby destroying our civilization. I know which of these alternatives I must choose, but I cannot make that choice in security.

3 truths about leaving security.

RISK involves in one form or another leaving security. Security can take one of several forms – relational, financial, emotional, physical, etc. Looking back on what I read of the life of Bonhoeffer, 3 things became clear to me about taking risks.

1. Risk is never happens in a vacuum.

There is always something pushing you to risk. Fear, anger, frustration, boredom something will drive you to risk.

For Bonhoeffer the drive for him to risk was fear of what Hitler and the 3rd Reich represented – an end to the church as it was known. He was also driven by his principle (character) which was shaped by his beliefs about the Bible and God.

Not only does someTHING push you to risk, but usually there is a someBODY.

Bonhoeffer didn’t work alone as a spy. He was working within a network of people including his family and close friends.

However…

2. RISK feels lonely.

No matter how large a network you are working with, taking a RISK feels lonely because ultimately it is your safety you are risking.

Bonhoeffer made his decisions with advice and wisdom from those around him, but he made the final decision in everything he did. He had to be willing to live with the outcome of those decisions.

3. RISK is not one giant leap. RISK is a series of mini steps (or shuffles).

Bonhoeffer didn’t wake up one day and decide to be a spy. It happened over the course of several years. Sam Childers (the Machine Gun Preacher) didn’t choose to lead teams into the African bush to save the lives of children overnight. He progressively worked toward that place.

Looking at those who RISK so much merely from a distance gives you the impression they jumped in with both feet immediately. Sometimes I imagine it happens that way…but not very successfully.

Those who RISK and succeed (Bonhoeffer more than succeeded through his writings published after his death) because they go in with complete knowledge of the RISK ahead. They also have a plan in mind.

Time prepares us for the big jumps. Small steps give us time.

What is your word of the year?

RISK is my 2012 Word of the Year. It’s a little self-project I started in 2011, and I continued it into 2012. In 2011, my word was FREEDOM. This year my word is RISK.

Here are some thoughts about creating your own Word of the Year project:

• 7 ways to find inspiration for your Word of the Year.
• 5 steps to learn from your Word of the Year.
• What a completed Word of the Year project might look like.

Here are more thoughts on RISK.

• My first RISK of 2012.
• RISK brings disappointment.
• RISK = potential for pain.
• 3 facts about RISK.
• Love is too big a RISK.

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