The Dangerous American Dream

Perhaps following Jesus is just as likely to lead us into danger as it is to lead us into safety.  This goes against the very American dream as we know it, doesn’t it?  Ask most people what they want the most for them and their children and you’re surely to receive an answer that contains the word safety.  Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with this sentiment particularly when it’s in reference to one’s own children.  The problem lies when we pursue safety over Jesus.

Sometimes we’re so obsessed with our own families’ safety that we neglect to look out for the safety of others.  Look at the typical American city; I’ll take Sarasota as a prime example.  Every single family I know lives in safety.  There is a part of our town called Newtown ironically that is not safe at all though.  A friend told me he used to pick up a study partner there and the girl’s dad told him not to get out of the car whenever he picked her up because he was white and it simply wasn’t safe.   Meanwhile, this friend and most of my other friends carry weapons for protection.  I’m not sure what they’re protecting themselves against exactly but the idea of safety is interlaced in their attempt to carry concealed weapons.

After the Newtown killings, the Florida state legislature discussed passing a law that would allow some teachers to carry weapons.  The idea being that if someone were to come in and start shooting than at least they wouldn’t get very far before someone came to stop them.  I can’t speak for other teachers, but arming someone like me is not a very wise idea.  In order to keep the children safe I’m assuming the teacher would need to have it on their person, right?  For a kindergarten teacher that is potentially one of the worst ideas out there as kids are constantly hugging on you as the teacher.  Personally I’d rather hug kids than protect them by carrying a weapon and therefore not allowing them to hug me.

All that to say, sometimes following Jesus leads us straight into danger.  Look at the promises of Christ Himself to His disciples before He left them on earth.  The world will hate you because it has hated me.  Some of you will in fact follow me to death itself.  Last year, I decided to take a step of faith and go to Turkey for a mission trip.  A couple of things I want to point out.  My parents have always supported me in my mission trips, but my dad in particular had a difficult time with the idea of me going to Turkey since it’s in the Middle East.

When we talked about me going over there for the summer, I asked my dad where in Scripture that Jesus commanded us to play it safe.  His quick response was that Jesus wrote the Scriptures before Islam was invented.  To this I quickly responded that first off not all Muslims are extremists and secondly I’m pretty sure the Roman Empire wasn’t exactly much better than any other violent forces that have lived since.  I also assured him that Turkey was a secular state and very stable.  It continues to be so in spite of the protests earlier this year.