Hmm, this is already starting to sound a bit dark, so allow me to put in a classic controversy diffusing disclaimer. I say that faith is an interesting word because its meaning changes significantly with the context it is used in, despite not changing its literal definition. Perhaps the most common use of faith is in its meaning as it relates to religion. When speaking of higher powers, faith is "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). In this iteration, faith becomes a sort of abstract concept, and thus can be easily critiqued and reflected on. It's a simple kind of faith.
But as with everything else in the world, faith gets a lot more messy when it exits the realm of the abstract and into reality. Lately, I've been pondering a lot on what faith means when it pertains not to God but to ordinary people.
Everyday we place our faith in those around us. We have faith that the driver in the next lane will not suddenly swerve into us. We trust our friends and family to care about us. The loss of faith in these situations can be devastating to one's development and mental state.
Others are always placing faith in us too. In my personal case, I think a lot about how much faith my family, friends, and even large organizations, support my life. Whether it's on a monetary or emotional level, there's a faith that I am worth something and deserve their investment. Of course, this is not to say that family members love each other only because they expect something in return. On the contrary, I believe that while it is rare, unconditional love exists as the most potent spiritual existence mankind can experience. Nevertheless, it seems to me that its presence should inevitably create a sense of humility and indebtedness to its receiver.
So we humans continue placing and receiving faith.
Yet we are fundamentally flawed. We are not faithful, and we are not constant.
But even knowing this, we place faith in each other. Those who can resist this aspect of humanity are admired for their consistency. On one hand, there doesn't seem to be anything inherently wrong with this is there? Aspirations towards consistent excellence... There is certainly no shame in that.
What of those moments of failure though? How do we react when our faith is misplaced? What does it mean and how should we feel when we fail to deliver to those who have faith in us?
To me these questions are heart wrenching to think about. I almost don't even want to consider them. But to hide them away while acknowledging their inevitability seems to be a grievous wrong as well.
This post doesn't have a set focus or answer to this issue. The question of faith remains one of the most mysterious ones I've thought about. All I can recall at the moment is a verse from 2 Corinthians, 12:9.
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
It speaks of a kind of faith through weakness, and even a power from weakness... Perhaps it is fitting that faith in its different incarnations have sprung up into this conclusion. Where does this leave faith in its purely human-to-human form? I guess that's a question for another time.
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