The Risk of Not Taking Risks
You did not do what you thought might change your situation; do you know why? Yes, it is risky to do that. I wonder if that sounds like your response.
There will always be a reason for not taking action or taking a bold step when it seems to have risks, but most often than not, we do not consider the dangers of inaction, which could be the same or even worse in some cases.
Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, once launched a military operation on Samaria. The result was a horrendous famine which made the prices of food items soar at an astronomical scale. It was so bad that people resulted in various unethical ways to keep alive.
There were four men at the city gate who were lepers. They considered their circumstances and deliberated on their choices as they spoke one to another. They acknowledged that there was no food in Samaria with no signs of any imminent changes. If they chose to stay there without doing anything, it implied that they would die of hunger.
“You may not always succeed when you take risks, but you would never do if you don’t.”
They thought of another option, which was to go to the Aramean camp—the origin of the military operation. None of the options was pleasant because both equally had risks. However, they decided to choose one over the other.
Later the same evening, they decided to go to the Aramean camp—having thought of all the possible outcomes, they progressed quietly, expecting one of all the possibilities. They got there without much hassle, but they found no one there. It is like a situation where you are unsure—whether you are in danger, in a trap or have secured a safe victory. Which was it?
It turned out that the Aramean army had also fled the camp because they heard the sound of what seemed like a large army coming against them. So, they left everything behind, including food, tents, horses, donkeys, silver, gold, and clothes, among others.
The lepers went into the first tent; they ate and drank—they had not eaten for many days. They also took what they wanted without anyone to challenge them. It was like a dream as they still did not see anyone harassing them. They proceeded to the next and later decided to go back to let others know their discovery. The lepers paved the way for others, which led to many people running to partake of the same benefits.
“It is risky if you do; it is risky if you don’t”
They could have died in comfort and safety where they were, but they decided to take a risk, which became a great opportunity—not just for them but for the nation. You may not always succeed when you take risks, but you would never do if you don’t.
You have to do something positive to change your situation. It may be challenging, but it will not change until you take the right step, which may also have risks as well. You may find that not doing anything is as risky as doing what you thought. However, doing something could give you an opportunity to win or at least a lesson to learn.
An aircraft seems safe in the hanger—it will safely rot or corrode doing nothing or going nowhere, but when someone takes the risk to fly it, it unleashes the hidden potential to benefit many people. It is safe in a stationary position but will never achieve anything. There are risks associated with flying it, and also great opportunities abound to affect many people. If you stop flying because of the risks, you have only decided to gradually kill a great potential that could add value to people.
The risks you can bear depend on you—your exposure, expertise, experience, ability, comfortable zone, and relationships, among other things. There are some risks that are not worth taking, but many are also not worth rejecting. There is a need for discernment to make the right choices for the right results or a manageable outcome. The change you are waiting for could depend on the risk you are willing to accept. It is risky if you do; it is risky if you don’t. I hope you will make the right choice on every occasion.
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