You want to know what the ten most dangerous jobs are? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “timber cutter” is the most dangerous job in America. It has an annual fatality rate of 118 per 100,000 workers. The ten most dangerous jobs are timber cutter, deep sea fishermen, pilots and navigators, structural metal workers, deep sea divers, roofers, electrical power installers, farm workers, construction laborers, and truck drivers.
The ten most dangerous jobs in America — they are high reward, but also high risk. Interestingly, the list says nothing about “disciple of Jesus Christ.” Sign up for that job, and you’re signing up for the toughest — but most rewarding — job of all. Why is it dangerous to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?
It’s dangerous because we can’t be sure what God might ask of us. It’s dangerous because being obedient doesn’t come naturally to us. It’s dangerous because we’ll be asked to turn the other cheek. It’s dangerous because we’ll have to put the interests of others ahead of our own. It’s dangerous because it could send us into territory hitherto unexplored. It’s dangerous because we’ll be asked to be a peacemaker. It’s dangerous because we’ll be asked to pray for those who despitefully use us. It’s dangerous because we might be laughed at. It’s dangerous because we might be misunderstood.
Remember, however, that while being in God’s service can be hazardous, it is also the only place that offers blessing and a sense of peace. High risk/high reward — that’s all part of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. See you at worship this Sunday morning because at church is the place where you get to sign up!
In the name of the One who can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
Bruce Jones, Pastor and Co-Creator,
Imagine Church of the Carolinas
