Welcome to Five Minute Friday. The task is to write for five minutes on a specific prompt word from your mind and heart. Then, post and encourage others who have braved the exercise by joining the community and linking up at Kate’s spot on Facebook, fiveminutefriday.com. That’s the fun part!
To entice you to check us out, I’ve also been sharing some of the experiences my fellow writers have shared as chronicled in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. This week, I hope Gaby’s words inspire you to join our writing club.
“What I loved the most about FMF is that, even when my week was so crazy that I could not take time to write, I knew that on Friday I could devote just five minutes to put something out that would allow me to connect with other women {and men} who may have lives just as crazy as mine. It was something to look forward to each week and I could not wait for the prompt. It was amazing how often the prompt would be exactly what I needed to write about that week to give me perspective and to center me. And reading other women’s {and men’s} takes on the same prompt helped me to see how God was working differently yet just as faithfully in other people’s lives.”
So, the timer is set for five minutes . The word for the week this week is RISK … so here goes. {clock starts now}
Risk and reward.
It’s a mainstay in the business world as executives ponder the risks versus the potential return on investment. It’s a principle in our personal and financial life as we consider the risks against the possible rewards.
Risk takers tend to get a greater reward. Look at finances. A riskier proposition — an aggressive tact — generally delivers a higher reward — not always, of course, but generally speaking.
Those pale when we consider some real risk takers from the past. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Noah, Job, Elijah, John (the Baptist}, Mary, Peter and the other apostles, Paul, Constantine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Mother Theresa, you, me … Wait, you? Me?
Yes, definitely. When we decided to follow this guy called Jesus we took a great risk, just like our forefathers and foremothers. Often following Jesus results in separation from the norms of the world of the day. We’re looked upon, well, a little different, marching to a non-conforming beat. Often we’re criticized for our beliefs. We’re metaphorically beaten … STOP
… and battered. We may not be martyred for our faith {as many before us did} but the risk of being faithful is real, very real. And the reward? It’s beyond our imagination!
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: If you want to be happy, be. — Leo Tolstoy
The Light 
Sometimes you need to make the leap
even if you cannot see
past the daunting haunting deep
to the place of mystery,
that place where your feet may land,
toes digging in, to hold you fast,
and perhaps you’ll understand
the reason for your jump, at last.
‘Twas not hot flames that singed your back,
nor savages with bright-sharp spears;
you came to know what your life lacked,
and could not see past the years
of paradigm’s dull choking fetter;
you risked it all for something better.
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Amen!
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Love that you reminded me of the risk takers in Biblical and historical times! I love FMF because everyone has a different take on the word. I pray you have a risky-in a good way-weekend.
Jennifer, FMF Neighbor
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Good stuff! Love the Tolstoy quote!
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Thank you!
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Whatever someone does in life entails an element of risk. Around 20 people a year die from falling out of bed. I’ve heard about someone who has been struck by lightning 4 times in his life. The odds are that most people will never experience this event. Me ? I’m not a big risk taker. I’m very content in my personal comfort zone. But I did have something occur in my life that I didn’t expect to happen. I was electrocuted, died a physical death, had a near death experience, which was also an out of body experience, and then returned to my body. I guess I really do have the luck o’ the Irish.
Speaking of Jesus, sometimes people attribute things to him that aren’t true. Like, if you don’t believe in Jesus, you are going to hell for all eternity. He never said this. He said I am the life, the truth, and the way. No one goes to the father except by means of me. He said things like the Kingdom of God is within you. He said I did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. He said you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. St Paul may have said it best: By faith, through grace, are we saved, It is not of ourselves. It is the work of God. The term Christian means to be Christlike, The nature of both God and Jesus is to love. Not to be hateful and vengeful. There are many people who do not understand this. God is kind of like Fed Ex, if you are promised something, then it will be delivered.
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You should participate in FMF. Always interesting responses. Peace, brother.
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It’s strange that so many people consider Christianity to be boring and about following a set of rules when really it is a call to the risk and adventure of following Jesus! Not always easy, but absolutely worth it!
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Amen! Always an adventure!
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