Courage and Risk

This is a copy of my second post on the Communitas Collective blog.

Two days ago I was sitting in the doctor’s office. The nurse was explaining to me how to give myself a shot of a Crohn’s medication I’m just starting. I was quite afraid it would hurt, then I’d drop the syringe and mess up the injection. I could have had her do it but I really wanted to learn how, so I took some deep breaths and DID IT MYSELF.

In fact I barely felt the needle (thank you superfine insulin needles!) That’s the neat thing about facing up to a fear: the fear is often much worse than the reality. But the only way to find out is to act in spite of the fear.

That shot only involved me; but when we act in spite of fear and take risks on other people, they benefit too. As a Christian I learned how Jesus took risks on other people. He touched a leper, risking his own health and made friends with outcasts, risking his reputation.

I loved those stories and wanted to follow Jesus in this. I hoped Jesus’ followers would do the same for me. But when I experienced mental illness, many didn’t even want to take small risks on me. I was hurt and disillusioned.

I left church for that and other reasons but I still want to take risks on people. Especially because of what mental illness has taught me: someone who seems weird on the outside is still human on the inside, with human needs for compassion and kindness.

Maybe there’s someone in your world who would love to have you take a risk on them today.