Risk is Right and Can Be Beneficial
“Risk is right.” That is actually the title of a book by John Piper. He suggests that it is better to lose your life than to waste it. The benefit far outweighs the cost. Do we live like we believe that? Most don’t, but perhaps that is because we don’t understand the risks that are right.
Many who invest for retirement are risk-averse. They want “safe” investments. Sadly, they don’t really understand risk, nor do they understand the elements that make up risk in the investing world. As a result, their financial advisor buys “safe” investments that (based on my experience and review of many broker statements) underperform the market dramatically.
Far more devastating than choosing the wrong investments for an 80–90-year life is choosing the wrong life. We can waste huge amounts of time to no benefit. We can waste our strength to no lasting benefit. We can fail to use our talents and God-given gifts and abilities to no lasting benefit to ourselves or others.
This idea of risk was discussed in Solomon’s book of Ecclesiastes. In a poetic way he said that you have to do some things with faith, not knowing the end results. You cannot control what happens to you or around you. In fact, if you never take any risks, or are distracted by the winds or the clouds you won’t see any lasting results.
“Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” – Ecclesiastes 11:1-4
Define Risk
“I define risk very simply as an action that exposes you to the possibility of loss or injury. If you take a risk you can lose money, you can lose face, you can lose your health or even your life. And what’s worse, if you take a risk, you may endanger other people and not just yourself. Their lives may be at stake also. Will a wise and loving person, then, ever take a risk? Is it wise to expose yourself to loss? Is it loving to endanger others? Is losing life the same as wasting it?” John Piper, Risk is Right, Page 18.
Successful Risk
I like his answer to his questions. He goes on to say, “It depends. Of course you can throw your life away in a hundred sinful ways and die as a result. In that case, losing life and wasting it would be the same. But losing life is not always the same as wasting it. What if the circumstances are such that not taking a risk will result in loss and injury? It may not be wise to play it safe. And what if a successful risk would bring great benefit to many people, and its failure would bring harm only to yourself? It may not be loving to choose comfort or security when something great may be achieved for the cause of Christ and for the good of others.” John Piper, Risk is Right, Page 18.
If You Want to Be “Safe” Reconsider: EXPLODING THE MYTH OF SAFETY
“We cannot avoid risk even if we want to. Ignorance and uncertainty about tomorrow is our native air. All of our plans for tomorrow’s activities can be shattered by a thousand unknowns whether we stay at home under the covers or ride the freeways. One of my aims is to explode the myth of safety and to somehow deliver you from the enchantment of security. Because it’s a mirage. It doesn’t exist. Every direction you turn, there are unknowns and things beyond your control.”
“The futility of finding a risk-free place to stand has paralyzed many of us. There are decisions to be made, but I can’t see which decision is best. There are so many unknowns. The temptation is to run away—if not physically, emotionally. Just think about something else. Put it off. Procrastinate. Hope the problem goes away. But it doesn’t. And our paralysis is serving no one. The paralyzing fear of making a decision serves no one. It is cowardly. Risk is the only way forward.” John Piper, Risk is Right, Pages 19-20.
Consider Examples in the New Testament
“I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.”
“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.”
Link to the free copy of an electronic book by John Piper: RISK IS RIGHT
Five Minute Friday
This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.
All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.
Know Your Flocks & Herds 