When I was teaching Sunday school to fourth and fifth graders, a recurring lesson was on the difference between trust and faith. Many Christians use those words interchangeably but they have separate meanings. Let me break this down like a fraction.
Let’s say that you and I are on an adventure in the jungles of South America and it was getting dark. We spent the day discovering the area but as the sun moves behind the towering trees, we notice that predators were following us and we need to find shelter. Up ahead we spot a bridge.
Below the bridge in the deep corners of the ravine are hungry alligators just watching from the dark waters. Behind us are jaguars and pumas, with their eyes reflecting the light from our torches. They are hungry and circling around in the darkness of the treeline, growling at us as we move closer to the bridge.
The path behind us is dangerous so our only way to safety is forward over the bridge. Now this bridge is in bad shape. It’s a rope bridge with planks at the bottom. The right side upper rope is starting to unwind due to it’s aged condition. Planks are missing or rotten and it’s swaying in the wind, leaning to the right.
We can trust that the bridge will hold our weight and we will make it to safety but never have faith to step out onto the first plank. Trust is a belief while faith is an action. Jesus doesn’t want our trust. He wants our faith. He wants our action in addition to our words. This is specifically stated in Matthew 25 when he says “many will cry Lord, Lord”. Those are the ones that only trust Jesus and he will tell those to depart because he never knew them. Then he will turn his face to those who have helped the least of these by tending to them, loving them, and caring for their general well being and seeing the fruit of their faith and know that they have been good sheep.
Do you know your shepherd’s voice? Do you trust Jesus, or do you have faith in Him?
Serve others for the sake of it. Step out and get uncomfortable. If you’re comfortable as a Christian you are doing it wrong. We need help. time is short. Get out on the bridge with us!
