I recently acquired a t-shirt that reads Safety Third.

I am aware that this is a common, if not hackneyed phrase from the tech world along the lines of ‘move fast and break things’ or ‘it’s better than good, it’s done.’ However this "slogan-ette" stuck out as something not just for tech entrepreneurs, but for Christian disciples.

After all, Jesus regularly put his personal safety third by putting obedience to God first and care for his neighbor second.  The spirit of God does not always take us to safe places, ask any of the 12 disciples, 11 of whom were martyred. Or ask any Christian who has run into a burning house or dove into a raging river to save someone’s life.

In other words, the right road is not always the safe road - nor, for that matter, the convenient or comfortable one.

What does that say to us?

Let us give Jesus our all be removing the preconditions to our obedience, praying, ‘Take me Lord’ - wherever that may lead.