Faithful Risk Taking

— by Aaron Mason

As a member of the leadership team for a fast scaling real estate media start up and a man of Christian faith I am surprised by how many times I run into people who say “wow that seems risky” or “aren’t you worried about the volatility of the industry?”.

It’s as if we have forgotten that the very faith we proclaim demands us to risk.

Early in my career, I was taught that comfort and safety were the wisest thing for me. Because of that perspective, friends and family actively discouraged my risk-taking. So, I took a job at a solid Fortune 100 company and played my part in the engine surrounded by 25-year employees waiting for their retirement. 

I was “safe” and because the job was in a stable industry much of the “wise counsel” in my life at the time validated this career path. But something was unsettled in me—something in my spirit knew it was meant for more risk. 

My passion for Jesus grew when I began reading about missionaries like Jim Elliott, Gladys Aylward and Floyd McClung. These people are celebrated in Christian circles as doing great exploits for the Kingdom in dangerous places. As I read their stories, I wondered why we celebrate and encourage their risks as “brave faith” and yet we question when non-missionaries choose similarly risky decisions and pathways.

Ministries and mission agencies love the millionaire donor to write the check. Yet, in receiving this check they often forget to celebrate the risk, debt, and leverage required for that person to multiply those resources and be in the position to give generously. You don’t multiply financial resources by burying them—you do it by investing them, most of the time at GREAT risk. 

Missionaries aren’t the only people God sent on a mission. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, HR directors, investors, and yes, even entrepreneurs have a job to do—the same job God gives all His followers. And that job requires risk. 

Yet, our affinity for the scriptures about wise counsel, foolishness, and stewardship have hindered our ability to also acknowledge that God hasn’t called Christians to lives of comfort. We hold tightly to the comfort of our small wins as if $1M is a lot of money when we could be producing ten or a hundred times that if we would just let go. 

Our leadership team was recently huddled up in front of a whiteboard for a quarterly strategy sprint meeting.  We were discussing our growth projections and the difficult task of recruitment of more local owner/operators.  We kept finding highly talented people who were a great fit and aligned with our company culture but were scared to jump.  Fearful of leaving the illusion of safety of their 9 to 5 and risk launching something new.  One of my business partners finally blurted out “It's as if Christians celebrate people risking their lives but recoil if people risk their livelihoods”. 

To be an entrepreneur is to take risks. To be a Christian entrepreneur is to often feel discouraged for taking said risks. In our faith-driven circles, there’s a need for encouragement and exhortation—not celebrating risk for risks sake but celebrating those who have stepped into the unknown, supported only by their faith in God and their community of believers. 

I would suggest that one of the biggest instances of encouragement I see in scripture is that of the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer.  Short recap: Saul and the Israelite army of 600 men were staring across a valley at the Philistine army of thousands.  Saul and his puny army were hiding in caves and desperately unsure of what to do.  Then Jonathan (Saul’s son) looks at his armor-bearer and says “Let's go over to that Philistine outpost and perhaps the Lord will help us defeat them.  For nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”  

The armor-bearer responds in total support and they take the outpost fighting uphill the whole way and the rest of the Philistine army is so scared they begin to panic.   Scripture says “the vast army began to melt away” and Israel won the battle.

Firstly, let’s be like Jonathan—full of faith and passion, operating in our gifts as business people so fully that we step out and take risks so bold they may seem “unwise” to those around us. This is the value of a Heavenly minded person in any company and especially an entrepreneurial venture. 

Secondly, let’s be a community that when we hear entrepreneurial or innovative business ideas we actually respond as the armor bearer and say “Go ahead do what you think is best, I am with you all the way!” We should encourage each other in faithful risk taking in business because that’s what is required of people of faith. The armor bearer not only voiced his support but he acted alongside Jonathan. 

I think we have an opportunity in this generation of faith driven business to encourage each other to be holy risk takers who bring Heaven to earth in the stock market, company cultures, and sales negations. We also have the opportunity to support and add value to each other’s ventures and strategies just like the armor bearer did for Jonathan. 

Be bold, be a risk taker, and if not you then encourage one in your circle today. It just might be the wisest thing you can do. 

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