“Whatever there may be of progress in life comes not through adaptation but through daring.” —Henry Miller
For his birthday in August, my husband Sherman jumped out of an airplane. Yes, he checked it off of his bucket list. Loot at the experience his courage bought! He has a daring personality. DARING means adventurous or audaciously bold; boldly unconventional; adventurous courage, to take the risk, to be brave. Author Alvin Toffler said, “It is better to err on the side of daring than the side of caution.” I wonder how many would agree. One of my strengths is intellection according to Gallup’s Strengthsfinder 2.0. The weakness of that strength is a tendency to overthink. One of Sherman’s strengths is activator—he moves. We both have strengths—together we have balance. Do you remember the game Truth or Dare? You were given the choice to answer a private question, or accept a dare to do something adventurous in front of your friends. We didn’t know back then that relational vulnerability is just as daring as audacious actions.We know it all too well now. Do you take relational risks?
Daring is another word for boldness: the willingness to take risks and act with innovation; confidence or courage. Psalm 28:1 declares, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.” Daring is an attribute of Christ followers who, even in trial and injury, boldly declare His Word and promises. They daringly love in the midst of rejection, abandonment, persecution, and relational difficulty. The psalmist cries out, “Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I’ll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word. Don’t ever deprive me of truth, not ever— your commandments are what I depend on. Oh, I’ll guard with my life what you’ve revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever; And I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; Then I’ll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed. I cherish your commandments—oh, how I love them!— relishing every fragment of your counsel.” (Psalm 119:41-48, MSG) Where in your life could you be more daring?
