When you think of danger, what comes to mind? James Bond? Racing cars? A haircut at Great Clips? Or perhaps the ever-gripping-television-phenomena, Ice Road Truckers?
When I think of danger, I think of “Mayday, mayday! Get out of the way!” To me, the word danger signifies a potential danger, something to come. I tell my kids not to cross the street alone or to touch the stove because it is a “danger.” It is the trouble that could come from not obeying the rules.
The word “danger” and Christian are not often associated unless someone is, unfortunately and incorrectly, stereotyping Christians. Christians are thought to be kind, gentle-natured, loving folks. Or they are portrayed as hypocritical, judging, fundamental, big-fat meanies. But can a Christian be dangerous and should they be?
Many believers go through life with a singular mentality: that being “good” and “kind” is all you need to do in order to be a Christian.
Nice-ness is not a virtue. Nice-ness is not a command. Nice-ness is a made up Christian ideal, preventing us from really doing what God wants us to do.
God calls us to love one another as ourselves. Yeah, that sounds nice, yet it is anything but. Loving someone as much as you love yourself is radical. It is revolutionary. It is not nice-ness. It is Christ-like.
Christ was seen as a radical and a revolutionary. He was a rogue agent and a rebel. He was an outcast and a orphan–a loner in some respects, even though he was surrounded by people.
The Pharisees and Sadducees saw Him as a threat. He was encroaching upon their turf. He was shaking things up and challenging the status quo. He was loud and drawing crowds, stirring people. He was dangerous.
It is difficult for us to think of our Jesus as dangerous. We envision Him in His white flowing robes, holding a baby lamb. That is all fine and good, except that He is also the Lion.
As His followers, our time is not meant to be spent here on earth, walking around being “nice” to people. Nice-ness does not win people over to God. Allowing the Holy Spirit to use us in unique, powerful, even risky ways does.
I am guilty of trying to just be “kind”. I think of Christian phrases like “meeting people where they are at,” “loving on them,” “showing God’s love.” Those things are all good, in and of themselves, but I want to experience the dangerous side of Christianity.
I want to take risks for Christ. I want to be daring and courageous. I want to allow Him to use me in ways I never thought possible because I never would have without Him.
The nice Christian attends church on a Sunday morning, perhaps attends a weekly Bible study, and, if asked, would say Jesus is their Savior.
The dangerous Christian perhaps does all of the same things, but knows that it is not being kind that reaches people for Christ’s Kingdom. It is a radical, risk-taking, unconventional, challenging, hard-to-swallow-at-times love that brings people to Christ.
It is also the mind-set that, while loving is crucial, it also remembering that we are daily at war against the principalities and rulers of this world who seek to steal, kill, and destroy. It is recognizing that Jesus is both the Lion and the Lamb, and at certain times, we too are called to display one or both, as well.
I am often timid in my faith. I can cower and hide when things become difficult. I am quiet when I should speak. I am weak when I should find my strength in Him. I feel useless when I could instead be used. But how I long to be dangerous! How I want to be a force for Christ, a solider and an ambassador. I long to have God call me forward into battle and to have me answer Him, “Send me God… Danger is my middle name.”
What do you think a dangerous Christian looks like? Have you ever known any people you would call a “dangerous Christian”? How can we, as a church, and individually become more dangerous?
