Thinking About Trust Today

[brianthephysicist]

A few months ago, Missy and I listened to a homily on the idea of trust.  Father G said to imagine a big box with a hole in the top.  The box is visibly shaking and you can hear what sounds like a dog barking and growling like it's ready eat somebody.  Now he says "Go on, stick your hand inside, it's safe."  To which most people would instantly reply "Heck, NO!"

 

Then he explained the difference between trusting the box and trusting him. If it was just the box sitting there on its own, we observe that the box appears to be dangerous, so we can only conclude that we don't trust the box.  But if someone vouches that the box is safe, vouches that they have some kind of outside knowledge that we don't have access to, it changes things.  It's no longer about whether or not we trust the box, it's about whether or not we trust the person.  Sure, the box is scary, but if we have good reason to trust the person, then we should have all that we need to stick our hand in that box.

 

The metaphor he used was pretty obscure for me, but today I feel like I gained some small measure of understanding towards it.  I was imagining going on one of those crazy zip-lines stretching a mile.  There's no way I, in my ignorance, would be able to figure out which equipment is up to snuff, so I have to trust a professional.  The same goes for parachuting out of a plane.  I have to trust that the professional prepared the parachute correctly. 

 

It goes on all the time over the course of our day, just trusting others in small ways.  But when it comes to something important, like our personal safety, we put more stock into it.  So if I was going zip-lining and I was handed equipment that looked kind of crappy, I am certainly free to ask just how sure the person is, but if they give their word on the equipment, then it's no longer an issue of whether or not I trust the equipment, it's an issue of whether or not I trust their word.

 

That's it.  No more, no less. 

 

Do I trust that person's word?

 

 

 

 

 

While there's certainly a plethora of reasons to or not to trust a person's word, what do you guys think about this understanding of trust?  

 

It reminds me of Genesis 22, when Abraham was tested.  I pray for trust in God.

[Roamin Catholic]

The thing about trust is that it is hard to earn, but easy to lose. You really need to treat it like the precious commodity that it is. The second that you don't, you are bound to lose it. 

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

I agree with your analogy. I am thankful to have people close to me that I trust and who trust me. Makes for beautiful relationships when that trust is not abused.

Human trust and God trust are very separate for me still. Mainly because "His ways are not out ways" and it's so hard to understand sometimes. Just trusting God is still one of my biggest spiritual struggles. I think it's that way for a lot of people.

[MarysLittleFlower]

I think that's an interesting point... I think if we remember God's goodness, it's easier to trust Him :)

[BG45]

I concur with the analogy.  There are moments in life where a person goes "You want me to to do WHAT?!" and then it all turns out for the better, because a person has trusted.

[AnneLine]

I agree with the analogy BUT (and it is a BIG but....) I think the person doing the reaching also has some responsibility to be sure the person doing the reassuring is operating with full knowledge, accurate info, and has had their eyes on this thing the whole time. 

 

In otherwords, with very few exceptions all of us need to use common sense, prudence and basically wisdom (practical, common sense wisdom) as well as being open to trusting.  Because ultimately we are responsible for the safety of the equiment God has entrusted to us, namely, our bodies, our minds, our souls, and the other people he entrusts to us (friends, family, coworkers, and total strangers.)   All of us working together make for a safer place... kind of like the parachute analogy.  We need to be able to trust that when Joe tells me the parachute looks ok, he is comfortable because he has checked it but also knows that Mary, Pat and Larry up the line are also doing their part to secure that piece of equipment before Joe hands it to me.

 

So... yeah, if there is a box with a hole and a growling SOMETHING in there that I can't see.... and Joe, whom know and trust says, "Hey, its not a big deal, you can disregard the printed warnings...."  I'm going to use some common sense before I stick my hand in there, and I'm probably going to ask some questions.  NOT because I don't trust Joe... but I want to be absolutely certain as best that I can that he has done his part of the job.  Is he pretty sure there aren't TWO animals in there?  Did he see the contents of the box himself? Or trust the person who did?  Did he step away from the box at any point?   I might not do it each and every time I trust Joe, but I want to do it until I am  sure that the info I'm basing my choice on is accurate.

 

 

Edited May 11, 2013 by AnneLine

[TheresaThoma]

My mom always uses the analogy of "trust blocks". Over time by keeping promises, doing the right thing etc we build up "trust blocks" with the other person. I think this goes along with what you are saying Anne that at first we have to ask a bunch of questions to make sure that the person really knows what they are saying. Over time though when we discover that they really do know what is going on you don't have to ask as many questions.

But when that trust is broken the blocks come "tumbling down", and you are back to where you started with asking a bunch of questions and this time around it is going to take much more work to rebuild those "trust blocks".

 

(I think my sister  was the one to actually come up with the concept of trust blocks when she was really little)