Have you ever heard anyone say, I will only trust in God and believe in God; I will never trust or believe in people? Does this sound more righteous, or self-righteous, or bitter to you? There is a sense in which it is appropriate to trust and believe in me alone; people will disappoint you. Yet you cannot fulfill my destiny for you if you remain in suspicious isolation. You cannot form the human connections you need to be a part of my body or to engage in a cause greater than yourself if you refuse to trust people. You are well aware of the risks of believing in and trusting people.

You describe your faith in me as a relationship, and you are right, but you are involved in many relationships, and each has its own character and depth. Some are just relationships in passing, such as for a single commercial transaction. Others revolve around a common interest or activity, such as hobbies or ideological persuasions. Relationships require some common ground, but they can still be fleeting and superficial. Do you think of your relationship with me as the one with the most depth of meaning and purpose? Do you values these same qualities in your relationships with people?

Have you ever heard of someone referred to as an opportunist? This term is typically not intended as a compliment, but shouldn’t you admire those who are pro-active, taking risks and seizing opportunities? The term is more commonly used in contrast to those who hold values and act according to principles. But does one contradict the other? You can do both. You can respond to opportunities as they arise and still act in accordance with your principles. In fact, doing so can be one of your principles.

Do you keep up with current events? You have a greater abundance of information available to you than ever before, but it still takes time and effort to stay informed of the latest news stories. Do you keep up with timeless, enduring truth? This also requires time and effort and takes a lifetime of searching, but there is one advantage to this investigation as opposed to keeping up with the news. Things that are considered to be of great importance in media coverage today quickly fade into insignificance, but timeless truth endures so significance does not diminish. It is always true.