As an artist (and I'd say many other fields/professions), stepping out of the "norm" is a part of growing. However, risk taking isn't always valued. People often value routine & those that "get with the program". I know this sounds absurd in relation to the arts. In college, I was told I should switch to oil because my themes were not appropriate for watercolor. This professor was of the mindset that "proper" watercolor was all about nouns (people, place, things), and should not express anything deeper. This truly bothered me because I felt art was about pushing boundaries & taking risks. Why would I be told that my risks were not appropriate for a specific medium? I found a way to continue pursing the themes/subject matter I wanted, and feel that I grew personally & artistically because of the challenges I encountered along the way. Risks have a way of doing that!
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down a once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
Luke 19: 1-10
Jesus did not always make "popular" choices. In the case of Zacchaeus, Jesus truly went against "acceptable" behavior by going to his home. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, and a pretty self serving one at that. No one would want to go to the home of someone known to basically steal from everyone in that community. However, Jesus could see beyond what others saw in Zacchaeus. He knew that if given the chance Zacchaeus would change his life around. It just took someone taking a "risk". By going against what was "acceptable", Jesus showed love to someone who was in desperate need! Am I talking about Zacchaeus now...or us? Before Jesus, we were just as unacceptable as Zacchaeus. Sometimes we forget that we were/are just as much in need of a Savior.
Do you know someone that needs you to take a "risk"? A friendship, an invitation to church, a kind word or deed done in the name of Jesus.....could change someone's world. Be the risk taker the Lord created you to be! Be willing to stick your neck out. I bet you will see a change...in yourself!(it is in God's hands regarding the heart of the other person).
AMEN
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