Not Safe Or Easy

Hudson Taylor is a missionary legend. He founded the China Inland Mission. He had a burden to take the gospel message to the interior of China. Most missionaries of His time stayed in the coastal regions. He adopted the Chinse culture of dress, hair styles and food. He lived and challenged others to live like they were native Chinese. He suffered loosing two wives and children.

Read what he said.

"We did not come because missionary work here was either safe or easy, but because He called us. We did not enter upon our present position under a guarantee of human protection, but relying on the promise of His presence."

He said they did not come because it was safe or easy. Those are two things that define much of the American church. People drift toward the safe, predictable, secure and risk averse paths. They also want it easy. They will not stand for hard preaching. They want easy sermons. They want easy commitments, and if pushed too hard they will just move on down the road to a church where a weak preacher will water down the messages in order to keep a crowd and gather large offerings.

The path Jesus called the disciples to walk following Him was neither safe nor easy. In the end, most of them would die violently. There is no danger in the tea parties, brunches, game nights and fellowships. Someone might get upset with someone else, but that is not like the danger Hudson Taylor referred to. He talked about real and present danger from hostile pagans.

Even as I write this, I am reminded of the past and recent church shootings that dominate headlines. These horrific events have traumatized many believers. I think most Christians feel pretty safe in their places of worship. Churches have put security measures in place to hopefully prevent this.

Modern day church members want it easy. They shy away from words like work, sacrifice, service, challenges and denying self for the greater kingdom good. None of those things is easy.

To be a true follower of Jesus takes grit. The biblical concept of following Jesus is neither safe nor easy. We may content ourselves with a watered down version of Christianity, but the Bible paints a far different picture. One that is neither safe or easy. For example, what was safe or easy about leading an entire nation out of slavery has Moses did? What was safe or easy about facing down a nine foot tall giant as David did? What was safe or easy about walking around with Christ pre and post crucifixion as the disciples did?

In these troubling days it is not a time to play it safe. It is time to risk for the kingdom of God where the Holy Spirit leads us. It is also time to embrace the difficult challenge of getting Jesus to others in this dark pagan culture. Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. It is for the adventurous. It is for the determined who are not easily defeated. May the Lord raise up more Hudson Taylors and those who served with him.