In God We Trust?
“My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?” Galatians 5: 16-18 The Message (MSG)
Labor Day, signals the final days of the election season. Over a billion dollars spent, add buys, Super P.A.C.s dolling out millions, all for defining candidates and their opponents. In this atmosphere, numbers and statistics are thrown about like confetti after a wedding. And biggest question on American’s mind is, “who can we trust”?
After Election day we will have a president, but will we have peace? Or will our new or existing administration have a fractured nation. Splintering, hemorrhaging, fatigued, discouraged and having distrust as it’s residue? The only spoils that will go to the victors will be decidedly more hardened and fortified fringe controlled factions, maintaining a perpetual state of gridlock. And through it all, the question remains, who can we trust?
My recent exposure to a Britannica.com article from Paul Cranmer – August 18, 2008 “A World Without Trust,”gave me some unique insight into the whole matter of trust. This article provided an almost prophetic picture of 2012. The article focused on the struggle between Existentialism ( individual focused)
and Altruism (collective focused).
If it where only that simple. The fact remains that this fiber of selfishness entangles a quagmire through all dimensions of society. In human nature’s attempt to navigate these complexities; labels are attached, people and cultures are demonized. Ideology turns into Idolatry. Shame, and of which side of it one stands on becomes the intangible divide.
Among these complexities, familiar lines are drawn i.e. Conservatism vs. Progressivism, Fundamentalism vs. Liberalism. Ultimately, there exists the dominant ethnic group of privilege vs. a growing ethnic minority population, affected by variable degrees of influence from the dominant that effects minority intercultural relations.
Racism ultimately becomes the default response in a world void of trust. Human nature often seeks a boogeyman to embody problems in our society.
As followers of Christ, we have forgotten that regardless of our differences in theology, politics etc. that the battle is not against each other.
“Our fight is not with people. It is against the leaders and the powers and the spirits of darkness in this world. It is against the demon world that works in the heavens.” New Life Version (NLV) Ephesians 6:12
Love is the key tangible component to finding trust. By surrendering to a trustless world, we ultimately display the lack of trust in God. Finally, Christ followers are no different that the most avid non-theist by not recognizing Christ as the focal point of trust in a World in need of Trust.
Many New Testament words describe the actions and events the testament believers are named for. However, the bible identifies a distinguishable way that others will know that we are Christ’s disciples. That is not our religion, tradition, dogma, self-righteousness, or aloofness; but we are true followers of Jesus by our love for one another:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. John 13:34-35 King James Version (KJV)
Kevin Robinson Executive Director of Accord1
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