When trust exists, good things follow

When trust was in the room, whatever room that was — the family room, the schoolroom, the locker room, the office room, the government room or the military room — good things happened. When trust was not in the room, good things did not happen. Everything else is details.”

—George Schultz, former Secretary of State

An interesting word, trust. It used in many ways. “Trust me…” “Trust. But verify…” “Trust the process…” Then there are the financial usages. Holding things in trust. Creating a financial trust. And so on.

2020 has been quite a year for trusting. Or not trusting. “Wear a mask.” “You don’t need to wear a mask.” “Social distance.” “Not necessarily.” “We’re in for the long haul.” “It’ll magically disappear.” “When available, get vaccinated.” “Don’t get vaccinated.” And so on.

We all trust in certain things. And we don’t trust others. By definition, trust is 1) firm belief in the character, strength or truth of someone or something; 2) a person or thing in which confidence is placed; 3) confident hope.

Sometimes trust isn’t actually earned. It comes with a title. As a pastor, I realized people trusted me because of my title. Which I took quite seriously. I knew that trust in me would truly be earned over time, and that my trustworthiness was critical to my work as a pastor. Many time I would say to my congregation, “Don’t take my word for it when teaching about scripture. Look it up yourself. Study. Ask questions.” The goal was to create trust in the room. To know that I wasn’t simply pushing a certain agenda, my personal agenda. There were many times when I had to wrestle with scripture. I still do. Because there are times when what Jesus says, and models, is contrary to thoughts and behaviors I see in people who claim to be following Jesus. And, yes, times when my own thoughts and behaviors are questioned. Which is why I’m grateful that the God I have trust in is a merciful God.

Or as John Wesley said (the founder of Methodism): “We are moving on to perfection.”

I bring all of this up because I’m thinking about 2021, and the hope that it brings for renewal, for resetting, for being resolute. 2020 has been a year of mixed feelings about trust, who to trust, what to trust. Lots of voices saying, “Trust me!” Others saying, “No, trust me!” Trust in our political institutions is dwindling; trust in our leaders is shrinking, and can we trust even ourselves?

One of the reasons for this failure to trust, I think is, in the face of uncertainty we revert to a fight-or-flight mentality. It’s natural for us to do that. It’s what enabled us to survive as a species. But fight or flight isn’t the only choice we have. We can choose to trust despite evidence to the contrary.

That’s the lesson I’ve learned in a very personal way this last year living with cancer. A lesson my brother and sister cancer survivors have learned. A lessons people that have faced terrible difficulties have learned.

There are things we can trust, things that are greater than us, things that cannot be proved by facts and figures, things not always visible at first, especially at first. We have chosen to have faith. Faith: “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

It’s the opposite of “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Faith says, “When you believe it, you will see it.” When you believe goodness is stronger than evil, you will see it. Believing that making efforts to build trust, especially with those you disagree, makes good things happen.

Everything else is details.