What Will We Risk for God’s Eternal Purposes?
What would you attempt for God if you weren’t afraid to lose?
Most of us say we trust God, but when it comes to money—especially investing—we often live as if safety is our savior. We diversify, hedge, insure, and call it wisdom. But if we’re honest, it’s often fear.
Scripture reminds us that safety is an illusion. James 4:14 says, “You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (ISV).
We take hidden risks every day—crossing streets, boarding planes, or trusting our retirement funds—but when it comes to the Kingdom of God, we freeze. We hesitate to take the kind of risk that could change lives and advance the gospel.
The greatest danger to the cause of Christ isn’t persecution. It’s complacency disguised as prudence. Let that sink in… The greatest danger to the cause of Christ isn’t persecution. It’s complacency disguised as prudence.
In 2 Samuel 10:12, Israel’s commander Joab found himself surrounded—enemy armies in front and behind. He split his troops, sending his brother Abishai one way while he took the other. He had no guarantee of survival, no promise of success. But he said, “Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord do what seems good to Him.” (NIV).
That’s faith in action—strategic courage that entrusts the outcome to God.
Esther did the same when she said, “I will go to the king… and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16, ESV). Paul echoed it when he declared, “I am ready not only to be imprisoned, but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13, ESV). Each knew: obedience was worth more than self-preservation. For the Christian investor, are you following the advice of this world to gain the best risk-adjusted return so that you can live a life of leisure while billions of people have never heard the good news?
Real faith always involves risk—because it means stepping out before you know how things will turn out. That’s true in life, and it’s true in how we invest. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (NIV). So, here’s the real question: are your investments faith-driven—bold moves for God’s purposes in the face of uncertainty—or are they just careful financial decisions with a little bit of Christianity sprinkled on top?
Jesus said, “Don’t store up treasures on earth… but store up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20, NIV). Kingdom investing means reallocating our capital from comfort to calling, from the illusion of safety to the adventure of stewardship.
When we break free from the enchantment of security, we’re liberated to use our resources boldly—to fund missionaries, launch redemptive businesses, restore creation, and serve the poor. Every dollar we risk for God’s glory becomes a seed with eternal yield.
As John Piper said, “It is right to risk for the cause of God.”¹ Because risk is woven into the fabric of life—it’s not something to avoid, but something to redeem.
So, the question is: Will we keep clinging to the myth of safety, or will we invest for something that outlasts us?
Our portfolios—and our lives—are meant to be spent for the glory of God, not preserved for our own personal comfort. It’s not market losses that should concern us, but the eternal losses that come from never investing in what matters to God.
Source:
1. John Piper, "Risk and the Cause of God," DesiringGod.org, 1987, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/risk-and-the-cause-of-god
