Faith

There has been a lot of talk recently about faith politics and how it will solve all our problems.

I just wonder what we have faith in?

As defined “Faith” is confidence or trust in a person or thing; or the observance of an obligation from loyalty; or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement; or a belief not based on proof; or it may refer to a particular system of religious belief, such as in which faith is confidence based on some degree of warrant.

So if faith is the belief that when I get up in the morning and put on my shoes and take a step, my legs will hold me up and I can lean forward and walk?

They did yesterday so I believe they will do the same again today. I have faith that I can walk again today and hopefully tomorrow. I truly believe this.

When I ride across a bridge, I have faith. I have faith that the engineers who designed this span knew what they were doing and calculated my weight crossing over. I have faith that those who mixed the concrete and placed the rebar structure were not having a bad day and did not properly follow the procedures that should insure I would get to the other side. I have faith that the many who went across before me didn’t somehow disrupt the structural integrity of the bridge. I have faith that the local civil infrastructural inspections will check and repair on a timely manner before I arrive.

When I go to eat a sandwich, I have faith. I have faith that the wheat or rye or whatever grain was grown on good soil and harvested in the finest manner and shipped to processing with the utmost of care. I have faith that the supermarket recycled outdated products and replaced them with the freshest produce. I have faith that if the sandwich is presented to me at a dining establishment that the server wasn’t having a bad day and spit on it or worst that the kitchen staff who I never see and don’t get the bonus tips aren’t having problems and poisoning me. I even have faith that the plate is clean.

I have faith that when I turn on the facet water will run into the sink (and a real faith that the water is drinkable through 100 year old pipes) and when I switch on the lights the house won’t explode in flames from antiquated wiring.

I have faith the shoes I put on yesterday will still fit and that the bed will still be there when I need to sleep. I have faith that when I put my keys down they will be in the same spot in the morning.

Although all these material things continue to change, we have faith we can repair them or adjust them or replace them to continue our faith in the normal routine pattern of our lives. We believe with enough time and enough money we can continue our faith.

Will we get to the other side or are we just lucky so far?