The world of Twitter and social media has brought so many things into my life including new friends. Today I asked my new friend from social media a question.
"What is the most adventurous, wild, risky thing you have done?", I said.
My friend said, "Friday night lesbians taught me how to line dance. We danced to the songs Highway to Hell, Ice Ice Baby, Love Shack and Mustang Sally."
"Have you line danced with lesbians before?", I asked.
She said, "First time line dancing. I've danced with lesbians before."
What is the most adventurous, wild, risky thing you have done? For some of you line dancing with lesbians may not be on the top of your list. Let me give you some other suggestions. Helping or encouraging a complete stranger. Forgiving someone who hurt you. Calling someone you haven't heard from in ages. Asking someone to forgive you. Saying you're sorry. Hanging out with people that don't look like you, act like you or believe in the same things that you do. Doing something for someone and not expecting anything in return. Hugging a homeless person. Loving a prostitute. Helping a single mom who is at the end of her rope. Doing more than dreaming by finally putting a dream in motion.
At the end of our day my friend and I were walking towards the parking lot. A young girl about 12 or so asked us if we'd like a sample of popcorn. She told us that her mom and dad just started a popcorn store. "Would you like to come inside?", the little girl said. If that little girl was risky enough to ask, I was going to step inside. My friend and I walked in. We sampled some great tasting flavored popcorn, talked to the owners and bought a bag. As we walked away my friend said, "Isn't that cool that someone has a dream to start a popcorn store and then does it." Yes, mom and dad took a risk and made their dream come true. Think about this though. Our visit to the popcorn store started with a brave 12 year old girl taking a risk by inviting us inside.
What is the most adventurous, wild, risky thing you have done? What are you waiting for?
I've done a lot of risky things. Bad risky, mostly. Not good risky. But among the good risky were planting a church with no outside funding or church planting association, establishing relationships with homeless men that went beyond giving them food and water--that gets messy, but worth the risk and sometimes the disappointment when they disappear again. I suppose the biggest risk I take is living life with an open heart, because you run a risk of it being broken, but the alternative is not very appealing to me.
ReplyDeleteI guess I have done some risky things. Risky for me, anyways ....
ReplyDeleteI got to go to Turkey and sing about Jesus to a parking lot full of Muslim college students who were totally into it. I got to fight (alongside my wife) for 2 foster kids who could have been potentially psychologically devastated by a move get to stay with us and be adopted. I am blessed to believe for big things as we reach out to our city and the world with a handful of people as we plant a church in Juneau, AK. Even still, I know I would be nothing and have nothing if it weren't for Jesus. I'm crucified with Him and He lives in me. What an adventure!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike for challenging and encouraging us.
I guess our risky thing would have been opening our home up to abondoned teenagers. Some of them were 18 and kicked out of their house because they were "of age", yet they were still in high school; some were 17 and just couldn't live with their acholic or abusive parents. One kid was sleeping on a park bench up the street from where we lived. His dad kicked him out. Let's see there was John, Jesse, Josh J. and Josh B., Will, Donna and Sacha. I know I'm forgetting a couple. I can remember having 4 girls at one time. Oh my...
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