Master of Trust

 

Acts 14:1-18

And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, (ESV)

Sha’ul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, (CJB)

I felt this was really important, especially in view of my recent insights into perceptiveness. I’ve realized that all my life I’ve been dismissive of my own perceptions, intuitions, and observations. I never had faith in them, and have always hesitated to act on them, feeling presumptuous somehow.

I mean, I was aware of them, and I trusted them to the extent that I felt that they were probably accurate, but I never did anything with them. I think that was mostly because I couldn’t figure out how to use them (my perceptions) in ways that were useful and helpful.

I’m reviewing all those previous decisions, in light of a recent understanding that I’ve gained: that at the very least these intuitive perceptions of mine are a well of creativity that I can draw from. I also understood that if it’s possible to employ my observations in beneficial ways, then I have a duty to figure out how;  to develop ‘skillful means,’ in Buddhist terms.

The other important part of this verse (probably the most important) is the “faith to be healed” part. I was reminded of a couple of accounts of Jesus not being able to heal because of people’s lack of trust. Matthew 13:58 “And he did few miracles there because of their lack of trust.” It wasn’t that Jesus withheld healing from them in punishment for their lack of trust; it was because trust enables healing, and without it healing is impossible. Mark 6:5 “So he could do no miracles there, other than lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ He was amazed at their lack of trust.”

Trust deserves a poem, but today I felt inadequate to the task, so here’s one from the great master of trust— Hafiz:

IT FELT LOVE

 

How

Did the rose

Ever open its heart

 

And give to the world

All its

Beauty?

 

It felt the encouragement of light

Against its

Being,

 

Otherwise,

We all remain

 

Too

 

Frightened.