The Gamble

By Dan Franklin, Pastor of Teaching

In 2007, the Boise State Broncos played the Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl. The game was surrounded by intrigue because Boise State, a small school from a small conference, had gone undefeated. But they were matched up against Oklahoma, a perennial powerhouse in college football. It was a classic David vs. Goliath match-up. The game went back and forth and eventually it came down to one final play. 

Boise State had scored a touchdown and they were down by one point with no time on the clock. They could kick an extra point (a pretty sure bet) and send the game into double overtime. Or they could go for a two-point conversion and end the game then and there. If they were successful, they would win by one. If they failed, they would lose by one. As all the viewers watched in anticipation, the Boise State coach decided to take the gamble and go for the two-point conversion.

You may or may not remember this game or remember the result of this gamble. Regardless of this, however, you probably understand the choice the Boise State coach had. He could play it safe and hope that things eventually worked out, or he could take a big risk. If the risk worked out, he would be at the center of something amazing and memorable. If the risk didn’t work out, he would be ridiculed for being reckless.

Most of us are not coaches, but we are still consistently faced with the choice either to play it safe or to take a gamble. Will I stay in this comfortable job or will I branch out and start my own business? Will I try to remain friends or will I ask her out? Will I go for low-risk-low-interest or will I invest in something more aggressive?

Now think about what it is like to walk with Jesus. Is it safe or risky? While Jesus surrounds us with promises of provision and security, even a passing glance at His life and His commands makes it clear that following Him does not lead to a calm or risk-free life. He calls us to take the gamble and tell our neighbors and friends about Him. He calls us to speak up and gently confront other believers when they are off-track. He calls us to trust Him financially and to give generously to those in need.

Focus in on that last one. Jesus calls us to gamble with our money. No, He doesn’t call us to do this by going to casinos or buying lottery tickets. Instead He calls us to bet on Him. He calls us to take the gamble that giving generously will reap more benefits that playing it safe and keeping what is “ours” to ourselves. This feels incredibly risky (and sometimes reckless), but there is no doubt that Jesus calls us to be sacrificial and generous with our money.

Despite this, many of us play it safe. We tell ourselves that instead of gambling on God, we will play it
safe and avoid the risks involved with generosity. 

But the fact is, when we do this we are fooling ourselves. Our choice is not between playing it safe and taking a gamble. Our choice is between betting on God or betting on ourselves. Will we trust that God will come through, or will we trust ourselves to make a better life out of what we have? Either way, we are making a gamble. Either way, we are betting on someone. Do you want to bet on yourself or on God?

For two weeks in June, we will pause from our series through the Gospel of John to address the issue of financial generosity. The goal of this series will be to challenge each of us to take the gamble and trust that God will come through when we follow where He leads us financially. And the good news is that any risk we take for God is a risk that will absolutely pay off!