The Folly of Faith

On a warm summer day in the mid-1800’s, then well-known daredevil Charles Blondin, had decided to cross the Niagara falls over a tight rope.  With the wind blowing and the water roaring as it cascaded over the falls, Charles stepped up to the wire and raised his hand to silence the roaring crowd of thousands who came to see this daring feat. With his usual flare, in dramatic fashion, he explained the danger that awaited him.  He then gazed through the astonished crowd and asked, “Do you believe that I can do this?” There was a pause, so he asked louder, “Do you believe that I can do this?”  “We believe!” the crowd roared back.  “Then OK…let’s go.”  And he turned to begin his quest.  

The crowd went silent as they watched ….step, step, step, pause, then again step, step, until soon he reached the other side.

The crowd cheered. 

He then explained to the crowd on the other side, “Now, I will go back across, but this time I will go … backwards!”  And he pointed to the crowd and asked, “Do you believe?” The crowd shouted back with an enthusiastic, “We Believe!”  He turned to the US side and yelled, “Do you believe?” And from across the river came, “We believe!”

So he proceeded back across the river backwards, step, step, step, pause, step, step..and eventually landed back on the US side unscathed.  “Amazing” roared the crowd.  “Unbelievable,” roared even more.

Yet instead of taking his customary bow, he again pointed to the crowd and yelled, “Wait, there’s more. I will again cross…. But this time, I will carry a man on my back!”  And the crowd roared.

He asked, “Do you believe?”  The crowded yelled back, “We Believe!!”  He asked again, “Do you really believe?” “Yes, yes, we believe!!” they responded.  “Ok” blondin replied, “who will volunteer?”

Immediately crowd fell silent, and hands went down.

Such is the folly of faith. 

It’s easy to say “I believe,” while standing on the side with nothing to lose. Yet the power of faith does not show itself when things make sense, with guarantees, when there is little to nothing to lose. Its power and usefulness arises when the opposite is true, when we could lose everything.

Faith, is not a religious rite, it is a fundamental part of who we are as conscious beings.  Our belief system gives us the ability to make decisions.  It would be impossible to interact with the world without believing in something, right or wrong. Simple things like sitting on a chair, walking down the street, eating food without stress is possible, because of what you believe to be true, conscious or not.

What clothes you wear, people you spend time with, where you live, what you do, how events are interpreted, your opinions of people, even how you feel about yourself, all products of faith. It determines not only how we see the world, but more importantly how we react to it.

Faith is therefore, one of the major influences of our character, our perspectives, reactions, even our purpose.  It is the essence of who we are…and the foundation in determining what we become.

Our ability to be  good, self-controlled, to persevere, be kind… even to love, in the agape sense of the word… manifests itself in the strength of our faith.

Yet, as the crowd at Niagara realized that day, simply saying you believe, doesn’t make that true.

Faith shows itself in action. If we really believe it…we do it. Therefore we sit in the chair without testing if it can hold us.  We walk down the street without watching our feet, we eat without inspecting, we can sleep at night when our loved ones are away.

Just as evident it is to see someone’s lack of faith by their inaction. So it is to recognize where their beliefs lie by what they do.

And as much as faith can work for us, it can also work against: a bias against a person or group, jealousy, paranoia, the types of things that make us ill from stress, and even create unhealthy relationships.

Faith is not static; it is something that evolves.  It is something that grows and needs nurturing. But unfortunately, something that is often ignored. 

There are those scoff at the notion of faith, but with all that is at stake, rather I scoff at their nonchalance to it.

On that summer day in Niagara, there was one who did more than claim a belief, he put feet to faith when he risked it all by jumping on Blondin’s back and riding that tight rope to the other side.  Yet, that’s just it, with faith, there is no risk.

 

Everyone does, what they believe is in their best self-interests.  Is what you do consistent with what you claim to believe?

Are you aware of what you believe in and why?