Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 8
Mary answered “Is it safe?” by saying she didn’t come because it was safe and described living with a packed escape bag and unpredictable borders; how does her approach force a discussion about what Christians today treat as non-negotiable (comfort, predictability, safety), and what might it mean to seek wisdom without making safety an idol?
Another way to ask: Mary said she didn’t come because it was safe and lives ready to flee if needed. What does that reveal about what many Christians treat as non-negotiable (comfort, safety, control), and how can we seek wisdom without making safety our top goal?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Mary’s approach exposes how strongly we can prioritize predictability and safety, while she frames obedience to God’s “go” as overriding the demand for control. At the same time, she models wisdom by acting carefully, admitting real risk, and entrusting what she cannot control to God.
- She says the safety question is hard because “I don’t know,” though it “feels safe most of the time.”
- She clarifies motive: “I didn’t come here because it was safe… I desired to obey that command to go.”
- She describes volatility: borders closed suddenly; “you just never quite knew,” and risk of harm was “fairly high at times.”
- Practical preparation: they kept “a bag packed… most personal belongings… if we had to make an escape.”
- Wisdom and limits: “I try to act wisely… but I can’t protect myself all of the time.”
- Trust practice: thanking God “for today,” remembering “I will never leave you,” and finding comfort in sunrise/sunset as reminders of God’s control.