Colleen Orchanian

I ride a motorcycle, and some would say that's a dangerous activity. It's risky. If I crash, I have no seatbelt or a metal cage around me to keep me safe. A motorcycle is smaller than a car; sometimes other drivers don't see me. They might pull out in front of me or cut me off. I've ridden in heavy rain, thunder and lightning, tornadoes, and snow. Why do I engage in an activity that is so obviously dangerous? Because I enjoy it and it's something my husband and I can do together and that's important. I take precautions to reduce the risk, like wearing a full-face helmet, leather jacket, and boots. I practice defensive driving. I have extra lights on the bike to make me more visible. These precautions have kept me safe for over 35 years of riding.

Most of us try to avoid danger. We protect our bodies, our homes, our families, our money, and our possessions. This is wise and prudent. But what about our souls? Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. So the question is, Am I living dangerously with my soul?

I protect my body by maintaining a healthy diet. In the same way, I should protect my soul by being careful with what I consume in my mind. Do I watch shows that glorify sin and evil? Do I waste time scrolling on the internet and going to sites that are not good for me? Do I listen to music that mocks or contradicts Christian beliefs? Everything I read, watch, or hear can draw me closer to God or closer to the world. I can become numb to God's truth. That's living dangerously. My soul is in danger.

I protect my body by exercising – by keeping active. I should protect my soul with spiritual exercises. St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote a series of exercises that help a soul know, love, and follow God. Spiritual exercises include prayer, Scripture reading and study, spiritual reading, and meditation. The more we exercise our souls through prayer, the stronger we get, and Paul tells us to pray without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. When I ignore spiritual exercise, I'm living dangerously. My soul will get out of shape.

I protect my body by avoiding harmful activities or taking precautions when I engage in them. Those who go through addiction recovery are told to change the people, places, and things that were part of their addiction. In the same way, if I want to protect my soul, I avoid harmful activities – which are occasions of sin – and stay away from the people, places, and things that are tempting. I acknowledge my weaknesses and don't assume that I'll be able to resist. When I ignore the warning of harm to my soul, I am living dangerously.

I might protect my body by taking self-defense courses so I can better respond if I am ever attacked. In the same way, I can learn about how to respond to spiritual attacks. They happen every day and I have to know how to protect myself from the lies and deceptions of the devil. I can learn to discern spirits so that I recognize the voice of God and the voice of Satan. When I ignore the truth of spiritual warfare, I am living dangerously.

I protect my possessions by locking my doors. Spiritually, I must lock the doors of my heart and mind to keep out evil – to keep out Satan. Sadly, some lock the doors of their heart and minds to keep out God.

Sometimes danger in the world can make us blind to things that are a danger to our souls, and we avoid heeding God's call in our lives. We fear being rejected, ridiculed, and criticized. We worry that speaking out in truth will offend others or affect our status at work. We don't correct someone when they lie about Christianity because we don't want to rock the boat or be seen as a"church lady." We don't stand up for someone who courageously shares their Christian beliefs because others might not like us. In each of these situations, we see the danger of the world but are blind to the danger to our souls.

The world tells us to keep our faith to ourselves; it's a private thing. But Jesus said to go out to all the world and tell the good news. The world tells us to compromise our beliefs so that others are comfortable, but Jesus tells us to be holy. Holy people don't compromise God's truth. The world tells us not to point out the sins of others. Sometimes that is virtuous, but other times our silence is a result of our fears, not prudence given by God. He calls us to fraternal correction – to tell our brothers and sisters in the faith when they are not living as they should. In each of these examples, we have a choice. Do we choose to fear the dangers of the world or the danger to our souls? Do we even recognize that there is a danger to our souls?

The apostles were told to stop talking about Jesus. They were arrested, flogged, and most of them martyred. They lived very dangerous lives according to the world. But they did what they were called to do – proclaim the truth about God. They were not risking their souls; they were protecting their souls by the work they did – by the words they spoke.

Jesus warned the apostles, Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. He said, your bodies will be in danger, but it's for a purpose – a heavenly purpose.

We too have a heavenly purpose. If we follow God's will for our lives, we will live dangerously. Ourself-protective instincts in the world have to be overcome so we don't sacrifice our bodies, status, or possessions for our eternal souls. God gives us the grace and the spiritual gifts of courage, prudence, and perseverance to live this dangerous life. We have every spiritual blessing in the heavens(Ephesians 1:3). I encourage you to choose your danger wisely. Living dangerously can be exciting, joyful, and fruitful if the danger draws you closer to God in Heaven. So get on your spiritual motorcycle and ride!

Questions for Prayer:

• What kind of danger do you embrace and why?

• What gives you the courage to live dangerously in certain areas of your life?

• What is God calling you to do that appears dangerous? How will you respond to that call?