The 12 Step programs are full of them. Those who are considered to be engaging in High Risk Behavior. Alcoholics, Drug Addicts, Compulsive gamblers. All fit nicely into our stereotypical notion of High Risk Behavior. Bad stuff, huh? These high risk behavers are to be dealt with within their own kind, in little circles where each can expose himself or herself in the safe confines of a peer “group”. Good thing the rest of us don’t have to deal with them, and good thing none of us regular folks engage in any kind of high risk behavior. We can feel sorry for the others, and content for ourselves. “There but for the Grace of God go I”, we might mutter when we see a homeless addict or hear of another domestic disturbance gone over the edge. There but for the Grace of God.

Indeed, but for the Grace of God the highest of High risk behavers would have never walked the face of the earth. I will contend that the very model of High Risk behavior is Jesus Christ Himself. Let’s see, born in a barn… runs away from Mom and Dad at age 12 to discuss God with members of his church. Wanders into a pond where a crazy man is baptizing anyone and everyone. Allows himself to be baptized by this cricket eating, leather shoe wearing crazy man, and then allows himself to be exposed, not within the confines of a cozy little support group, but before the World as the “Son of God”…

What? The Son of God? What kind of nut would we assume one to be in 2008 if one so dared to proclaim oneself as the “Son of God”. Now, imagine if that person would appear in the Vatican, or in your church?.. You can only begin, then, to imagine the outrage that accompanied this High Risk Behavior. In a very “religious” society, Jesus appeared and proclaimed all of the religiosity to be “hogwash”.

This same man then proceeded to re-write the rules. Instead of abiding by a list of Do’s and don’ts, as the Pharisees of the time would have preferred, he simply stated the following. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul”, and “ Love others as you love yourself”… What?.. No rules, no guidelines?.. No can dos, and can’t dos?.. Heresy! How dare this risk-taking Son of God say such…

Truly radical, truly revolutionary and truly rebellious. Yet now, we have condensed the message of this Son of God to this… “Be safe”, “ it’s a dangerous world out there”… “Be careful who you associate with…”… Yes, the radical message of this rebel has been watered down to the point that we feel “good enough” in our own salvation, and we should not worry too much about those who could cause us harm, or would not be “safe”.

So, that’s what it’s become?... the man who engaged in such truly high risk behavior that he ended up losing his life? His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate in High Risk Behavior… And yet we rationalize not getting involved in the lives of others on the basis of personal safety and fear.

I say enough! Jesus doesn’t call us to be comfy in our SUV’s our 4 Bedroom homes and our high paying jobs. Indeed, he calls us to a life of High Risk Behavior. I heard, and I believed, those naysayers who won’t help a stranded motorist in the name of safety. Those who won’t work with AIDS patients in the name of self preservation. I heard and I believed all of those messages. No More, I say. No More! Instead, I aim to take up a life of High Risk Behavior. One that isn’t safe, one that isn’t self preserving, yet one that ends in a lifetime of love given and received. Will you join me?