Piloting Faith: It's time to create a global society...

A Word for the Day...

While on Iona, I discovered a book in our hotel called “Interconnected: Embracing Life in Our Global Society” by Tibetan Buddhist, His Holiness Ogyen Trinley Dorje Karmapa. He argues that we have always been, and will always be, interconnected—through family, community, and shared humanity. As our planet changes and our world grows smaller, it is vital we not only recognize our connections to one another and to the earth but also begin actively working together as interdependent individuals to create a truly global society.

In one section he is speaking about our interconnection being possible only through the gift of trust. He writes:

From my side, I offer trust. My trust is unconditional. I simply do not wish to base it on how others behave. In that sense, there is no reason for my trust: it’s an unconditional gift. I am not engaging in barter for trust – “If you do this for me, you can cash it in for my trust.” Trust is something I place in others freely, out of what you might call the goodness of my heart.

But this does not mean you hand your bank account details over to a stranger. That would be taking it much too far. Trust does not mean that you invite overs to take advantage of you during the give and take of our ordinary transactions in life. Rather, to trust means you show them whatever purity you have. If they present you with something dirty, since you do not want it, you do not need to take it on. You can just keep your own pure principles. There can be some inner qualities that you simply do not want to subject to external conditions and that you are willing to go to great lengths to guard. For me, trust is one of those.”

I suspect we have all known someone who presented us with “something dirty” in response to our offer of trust. I love the grace of his response. You don’t have to accept the dirt from that person. Just go on, giving and receiving trust with those who know what to do with it. No drama. Just pure interconnection. It's a small world after all.

- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight

Blessing for the Week

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of God's hand.

- Traditional Irish Blessing