To Live is to Risk

The author of the poem below is unknown, but I believe the sentiment is profound. I rediscovered it today as I was cleaning my office. It reminded me that to live is to risk ...

To Risk

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to others is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure

But risks must be taken,
because the greatest hazard in life is to do nothing.
The person who risks nothing,
does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their certitudes, they are a slave,
they forfeited their freedom.
Only the person who risks can be free

Psalms 37:23-24 says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Perhaps you are standing at the edge of some great risk. Let me encourage you with your decision. A wise man once shared the verses above with me when I had a tough decision to make and I've never forgotten it.

He reminded me that when you risk to follow God, you will never be utterly cast down. You may not understand it all this side of heaven, but you may rest assured that you absolutely cannot fail when you are relying on God. Some of you may have taken a risk and it seems like it didn't quite work out. Be of good cheer! The Lord is upholding you with His hand! To risk nothing is to deny God's loving-kindness and power. To step out boldly in faith validates you as a child of God and makes Him real in your life.

To Live is to risk.

Now stop and quietly think about that.

Photo taken from www.trailsidememories.com