A great reward requires a risk of equal proportion. The reason a neurosurgeon banks a huge check is because drilling open a patient’s head involves enormous risk. The manager of Burger King meets the important need for food of his customers. He may feel pressure during the lunch rush but nothing compared to the stress of the operating room during neonatal brain surgery. His paycheck will not buy him a Porsche like the doctor’s
Jesus taught the disciples many lessons about the fear of risk, the robber of rewards. The man who was given one talent in the parable of the talents lost not only the praise of the master, but also his one talent, which had the potential to bring him increase. The reason for his loss was fear. Who else lost out because he didn’t take a risk but buried the talent? Did his family or his town?
It is hard to believe that Jesus had to step past fear, but the Bible says He was tempted in every way we are. The difference is He never let fear stop Him. Miracles happened each time He put faith in His Father’s word and not in the enemy’s lies. Lazarus would still be stinking in the grave if Jesus had let fear stop Him from yelling “Lazarus, come forth!”
The power to overcome the panic of the moment is released when we focus on the reward and not the risk. The writer of Hebrews wrote that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before Him. He looked past the present danger to the reward. Paul testified to the Philippians that he was always pushing toward the prize.
There are different levels of prizes. A student in a local high school track meet who finishes first wins an award. The athlete in the Olympic Track and Field competition wins a bigger award and a place in history. To win the big one requires victory in a lot of little ones.
The world desperately needs bold believers who blast through the door of fear to the miraculous rewards on the other side.