What makes risk "risky"?

Life is full of uncertainty. There is only a small percentage of individuals who like to “take risks”, whereas most are more comfortable with “playing it safe.” What we fail to understand is that maintaining status quo or seeking safe havens also contain risk. It’s just not as obvious. Thus, making sense of risk is not as easy as it seems for most people.

Consider the domesticated turkey.


The turkey spends the first 1000 days of its life in great comfort, eating well in air conditioned rooms. If you asked the turkey about its prospects for life, it would say its great and always will be. The turkey is very content with status quo, believes strongly in its future, and would never “take the risk” to change it. There is no perspective of uncertainty. On the 1001^st day someone comes to take it to slaughter. Where did the risk lie? The future was outside of the turkey's control, but the turkey didn't know it. The risk was in the truth about the turkey's future, not in how strongly the turkey believed about the future based on its data.

The American Dictionary of the English Language published in 1828 by Noah Webster defines risk as “exposure to harm or loss.” The exposure has as much to do with the uncertainty of the environment around us as the actions we take themselves. GET THIS. Human nature is to place concern about risk on what we do and not to the nature of the situation. The RISK is more about the future in which we must act than what we do.

For instance, when considering a financial investment, we might say that investing in stocks expecting 8% return is “too risky” because the stock may go down, so we invest in 5 yr government bonds earning 2% or just hold cash. The so called less risky action may actually contain more risk because if 4 % inflation hits, we lose money with cash or low interest bonds. The risk lies not in our action (or inaction) as much as it does in future conditions.

This occurs in job decisions too. A person may seek to “hang on” to their current job because taking a new job with another company has too many uncertainties (risks). They find later that their company is being sold or is downsizing and they are losing the job they so desperately sought to keep. The risk was in inaction in an uncertain future, not in the person's action anticipating the future. Apply this to relationships!! Ohhhhhh!

You see, our EXPOSURE to harm or loss exists in both action and inaction because risk is sourced in the uncertainties of the future, not in the uncertainties of our action. We cannot avoid risks. We can only mitigate them or manage them. We do this by taking actions that reduce our vulnerability to future events based on their likelihood (probability) of their occurrence. We can reduce our exposure, but we cannot eliminate it. Because the world keeps changing, we must realize doing nothing and clinging to status quo may be the most “risky” thing we can do.

BTW, the difference between taking a risk and taking a chance is that chance is ignoring the possible consequences of our action or inaction. Running across a highway without considering the speed we are running and the number and speed of cars on the highway is “taking a chance”, not risk.

Finally, there is an interesting word that contradicts the notion that risk must exist because the future is uncertain, thereby exposing us to harm or loss. That word is HOPE. Noah Webster gives us two definitions of hope. The most common one we use means “a desire with at least some expectation or belief it will happen.” This is a little stronger than just a wish, but still recognizes the future is not predictable or assured. Then there is HOPE that means assurance, full confidence that something in the future will happen. This is the word used by God in His Word relative to our inheritance as His adopted child.

We live with a full assurance that He loves us and that the privileges and promises of His Kingdom are ours. It cannot be destroyed, tarnished or taken from us. This form of hope is the opposite of risk in that there is no exposure to harm or loss. A carnal mind cannot make sense of the second form of hope and is destined to live out life with fear and anxiety that just around the corner there is the possibility of harm or loss, the 1001st day in the turkey's life.

Risk management is not the actions we take today to control the outcomes of the future, but to take actions today to mitigate the consequences of the future over which we have no control.

So, what makes life risky – for the carnal mind its more the uncertainty of the future not the actions we take (or inaction) to protect ourselves from the future.  Risk is determined by the truth of the future, not the “safety” of our actions.

Feeling 'lucky' today?

There's a familiar saying among us Southerners when a person just can't seem to get a break. We say, "he (or she) has buzzard luck, can't kill nuttin' and nuttin' won't die".

Of course this only applies for those who place a lot of stock on "LUCK" to make sense of themselves and things around them     :-) :-)

"The Gift in You"

"we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us."
2 Corinthians 4:7

excerpts from the book"The Gift in You"  by Dr Caroline Leaf:

"In  order to sustain a consistent outlook and pattern, your thoughts, your words, your spirit, and your actions must line up. That means when you say something that your brain doesn't 'believe' - if your statement isn't part of you on a cellular level - it is unsustainable."

"You were not built to struggle. Your brain is wired to function according to a specific sequence. When you discover that sequence, that structure, you unlock great potential. ... You can learn more quickly, think more clearly, process faster, accomplish more, and become a better leader as you see other people for how they are uniquely wired."

"It is incredibly exciting to realize that what we choose to think about and how we choose to think can switch our genes on and off, changing the structure and function of our brain. The way in which we think will impact the health of our brains and our bodies... Even more exciting is that we each have a unique and distinct gift that impacts how we think.... We can alter brain anatomy in a positive love direction or a negative fear direction by how and what we choose to think."

"If we start building fear pathways by entertaining toxic thinking, such as bitterness, anxiety, anger, unforgiveness, and so on, we can wire negative and rigid behaviors into the brain, which become 'gift blockers'. A 'gift blocker' has a damaging physical and chemical effect on the brain, resulting in inflammation, which interrupts the cycle of thought in some way and hinders the ability to think clearly."

"Deep inside us is the awareness of self, and the desire to be understood. Our cry as we go through life is 'does anyone out there understand me?' When we operate out of fear of rejection, fear of pain, and fear of abuse, we cannot believe anyone wants to understand us, our fears work to thwart our desire for love and acceptance God hardwired in each of us."

"Love and fear are the root emotions and all other emotions grow from these... Love and fear cannot co-exist. When we operate in fear, we are at the mercy of the environment. Our gift will be blocked and our true self will vanish. Science has shown us that there is a "massive" unlearning of toxic thoughts when we operate in love. .. Love literally wipes out fear."

"Although you are not handed a roadmap for your life, there are road markers to ensure you are walking on your gifting - love and wisdom.... When you operate in your gifting, the brain is operating the way it was wired. ... The thought circuits in the brain are altered by experience, so the more you think in the way you were designed to think, operating in your gift, the more you develop your brain."

and finally

"To grow as a human being you need to move away from a 'disability focus' - focusing on your weaknesses and forgetting about your strengths. .. An over emphasis on trying to overcome weaknesses creates much of the unhappiness in our world."

Of course, there is much more about how the brain neurons and emotions are interdependent. Medical science has come a long way to reinforce what Scripture has already told us - 'we are fearfully and wonderfully made" and "perfect love casts out fear".

Pretty good stuff to ponder!!!

Making sense of suffering

‎"The suffering of the servants of God, borne with faith and even praise, is a shattering experience to apathetic saints whose lives are empty in the midst of countless comforts." -Piper


One of my favorite topics in the Bible is the notion of suffering. Its one of the words that is difficult to make sense of for many Christians. Quotes like the one above suggests that "sufferings" of God's people is born of affliction and pain. The truth is that there are over 20 different Greek words translated into the word "suffering" in the New Testament. Some are far from meaning painful affliction such as "suffer the little children to come unto me" (Jesus). Here the word for suffer simply means "allow". 


There are several words that do suggest affliction or pain. "Dipsao" used 16 times means to suffer from thirst. "Zemioo" (I Corinth 3:13) is used to denote sustained damage. "Tino" means to pay a penalty. "Pathema" (used 16 times) is the Greek word we most associate with suffering, it means the external experience of a calamity, misfortune, or affliction.

However, the most often used Greek word in the New Testament for " suffer" is "pascho", used 41 times and 16 in I Peter alone. "Pascho" simply means the emotions of the human experience. It refers not to whether the experience is good or bad but the internal human response we experience to some external circumstance. Peter often refers to the "pascho" (sufferings) of Christ. 


This is a reference to the internal human response Christ had to events around Him. He was exalted and He was rejected. He experienced the entire realm of human emotion, PERFECTLY. So to make sense of the notion of the "fellowship of His suffering" as a believer in  Christ, we note that Paul says (in Philippians) he desires to be so intimate with Christ as to allow the Christ in him to inform his emotions so that he has Kingdom responses to ALL external stimuli, whether seen as favorable OR unfavorable to the carnal mind.


NOW, that is the kind of suffering that brings us JOY. ...... Think about it ....

4 months of blogging

Its been four months now since I started blogging. Over the years people have asked when I am going to write a book on all this stuff running around in my head. A book brings more fame and money, but I have found blogging to be more fun. Since I don't need the former, I'll stay with the latter.

While there haven't been a lot of comments, the profoncall is approaching 1,300 page views. While I M not really sure what a "page view" is, I think it means someone is visiting the blog site.As long as there are readers, I will be a blogger!!

Being right is just not enough

         

Some people (like me) were designed to seek out the truth in the world around us. My personality profile says I desire to explain the world, not control it. While the passion and competencies to find truth can and have been a benefit many times, there is a downside when it comes to relationships.

One story about my son I remember fondly (hope he doesn't mind me telling it) is when he was in college. I get a call one day from him and he says, "dad, my French professor just slugged me!" That was not a common thing to say so I listened for the explanation. The professor had returned an exam and there was a question marked "wrong" which Doug KNEW was right. Everything inside Doug was saying, "you must bring this to the prof's attention" but Doug's mind was saying "let it ride." However, the truth seeking soul won out and Doug pressed the prof about it. The discussion escalated as Doug followed his prof back to his office where from frustration of not being able to PROVE to the prof he was wrong, Doug finally says, "well, you are just stupid!" The French prof was actually French and the word stupid meant something very different to him, so being severely offended, the prof hauls off and hits Doug.

I can remember thinking (maybe even saying), "what a lesson to learn, being right is just not enough."

I found myself that the constant pursuit of "being right" produces a sense of arrogance that builds a wall between me and others. Its amazing how often we press our point with others until we destroy, or at least disrupt, fellowship with each other. This is particularly true when we pride ourselves on being smart. One lesson that would be good for some of us is to pursue the relationship more than truth. Nothing wrong with being smart and seeking what is true, but real wisdom is knowing how our "being right" feels like control to others, even when that may not really be our intent.   Something to ponder ......

what a difference a chromosome makes!!

                 

Our recent culture and especially the feminist movement of the 70's and 80's wish to make men and women equal. What is confused here is the difference between equality of opportunity and "sameness."
Men and women are fundamentally different and that fact particularly affects motivation.

We learn in the Bible that as a result of the fall, women look to men for love and respect and men seek pleasure and respect mainly from their work. This is essentially the message in the 1980's best seller "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." Many others have acknowledged the difference in men and women mainly through what we call the needs/drive motivation model. That is to say men and women are fundamentally motivated differently. Men seek pleasure from women and want to fix them when they are broken, while women just want men to listen, to care, and not see them as an object.

A recent research article in applied psychology found men typically seek status based careers while women seek "socio-emotional" satisfiers in their career choices. In Etheridge's book "Wild at Heart" men are described as desirous of fighting battles, living an adventure, and rescuing beauty while women seek to be fought for, to share the adventure, and to unveil her beauty. James Dobson often claimed that "men give love to get sex and women give sex to get love" as the exchange that draws and holds couples together on a human plane (social exchange).

Now if you believe in God or at least in some higher being that created us, why would a divine creator design men and women so differently and then say "become one and enjoy the greatest intimacy known to human kind"? I don't think God is a masochist. What's His plan or purpose for heterosexual relationships? (note: I know it is not His plan but wouldn't golfing buddies (or garden club members) get along better if they were married to each other?) See, ultimately social exchange breaks down as an adequate force to hold a relationship together. At some point there fails to be equilibrium in meeting each other's needs.

If men and women could reach high level of intimacy through social exchange, then we would not need God. Unless Jesus is the "tuning fork" in the relationship between men and women, the relationship cannot gain and maintain intimacy (the ultimate source of joy). The chromosome difference is God's plan for us to seek Him in our relationship with each other, to depend on His power to give us the grace to really love unconditionally. Agape love (grace) is the only way the chromosome difference leads to joy and not disappointment.    Think about it ....