Sticks and stones

Psalm 56

Many say faith is a crutch. That trusting an unseen God only serves to escape the realities of life. Religion, then, serves weak people who cannot stomach the real world. I understand the criticism. When church leaders use faith to manipulate and control others, are they not hoping people will rely on their crutch? Still, a problem I have with that popular message is that our faith tradition is full of strong people. People who confronted the harshness of this world with boldness and steadfastness. Were there moments of despair and crying out to God for help for such people? I imagine quite a few. Their faith carried them, yes. Not to escape the world, however, but to transform it. In Psalm 56, we are reflecting on David's capture as told in 1 Samuel 21. In that text David puts on an insanity show for his captors. If he's out of his mind, he's of no danger to them. But David was in his right mind and faith. As a response to that experience, the psalmist twice asked a question: What can flesh do to me? Or, what can a mere mortal do to me? I don't suspect David thought he could escape any and all harm. He wouldn't be running or pleading insanity if he did. Sticks and stones can break our bones, after all. In fact, people can do awful things to people. People do awful things to people. Those who carry faith in God aren't exempt from that reality. Many of them have endured through it and known it all too well. Anyone would want to escape their enemies, people of faith or not. That doesn't make you weak. What the psalmist expresses is not a crutch to hobble along with. Rather, the psalmist knows a trust and hope in who God is amidst the realities of the world, not apart from them. Can I see God face to face? Can I prove God's existence? No. I'm convinced it's foolish to try. But I can see the faith others have had, the same faith God has given me. Stay blessed...john