TO QUOTE a famous infamous TV minister, “I Love Being a Priest”, but there are times when there is a weight of responsibility that it is hard to live up to.
All ministers are just human after all and we’ve seen all too often that those in positions of responsibility have failed to live up to the expectations placed upon them. MPs’ expenses, the banking crisis, and challenges for the churches regarding Child Protection…the list goes on. As a result many people have lost their respect for those in positions of authority – all are judged by the actions of the worst offenders.
As I’ve looked at the events surrounding vehicle omissions and the VW group it has struck me that many of us have swapped trust in people in positions of authority and national institutions for trust in brands. Rather than advertise my own favourites here I am sure you can come up with the names of stores, manufactures or service providers.
When that trust is abused how do we feel? It strikes me that the risk is that we fall back on only trusting our own judgement and possibly those closest to us.
But to trust in our own ability also seems risky, I know I don’t always know what to do or have the skills to do it.
The Christian viewpoint directs us to trust in God, a God who is faithful and just, a God of love and compassion. Jesus used the story of the wise man who built his house upon the rock rather than the sand.
How can we find a solid rock on which to place our trust?
I would suggest we need to all look beyond ourselves.
Paul Lawlor
Vicar at St Stephen’s Redditch and
Town Centre Chaplain with Faith at Work in Worcestershire
