What Trust Looks Like

David Burchett, Author and Speaker

Today I took a walk through Boston. The Boston Common is a beautiful and peaceful oasis to walk and pray. On my way back to the hotel I noticed a man on a motorized scooter. He was severely physically challenged. It appeared he was dealing with advanced Cerebral Palsy. The man was unable to communicate beyond noises and grunts. I have learned a lot about dealing with physically challenged people from my wife’s years of serving special needs kids. She has taught me to just treat them like anyone else. No need to look with pity or speak louder.

The man was selling water and soft drinks from his scooter. He had a little cooler and a money box with a slot. There was a sign that listed the prices. Another sign noted a box to make change because he was unable to execute even that simple task. So I went up to the man, smiled at him, told him I wanted a water and put money in the box. He grunted a response as I took my water and walked away.

I have to tell you that I walked away inspired and uplifted. Inspired by a man who refuses to let major challenges keep him from doing something for himself. I thought about how this man was demonstrating total trust every time he ventures out. He must trust those who do business with him to leave the correct amount and to make change. He has no choice but to trust others. I would struggle with having to trust others and not being able to control the situation at all. But he has made a choice to take a chance to trust others with himself.

That is what God asks me to do. He wants me to completely trust Him with all of me. A sincere comment from one of the recent blogs came to mind. The writer said that “the primary focus of our Christianity is pleasing God”. That seems to make sense and that is what I lived for years. But I am learning through my study from the book True Faced that my primary focus should be trusting God, not pleasing Him.  What can I do to please God? Scripture tells me that faith pleases God. In Hebrews we read that without faith it is impossible to please God. But I would rather do stuff to try and earn His favor. If I take that path I can maintain a little control. When I choose to simply trust God I get scared. I want to hold back a little (or a large) percentage. We have been taught a theology that God rewards us based on our deeds. Read carefully. I am not saying that we should do nothing. I am saying that my deeds should flow out of trusting God, allowing Him to love me even in my “as is” condition. My deeds flow out of worshiping Jesus for paying the price to make me righteous before a Holy God. My deeds flow out of peace as the Holy Spirit fills my heart with comfort. I spent three decades trying to do good deeds to access what I already had the first day I trusted Christ. I spent years trying to earn gifts that were already given and simply need to be unwrapped.

Was this man an angel in disguise today? I was blessed by his courage and trust. I want to continue to learn to put my ego, my need to hang on to control and my pride on the altar and leave it there. I want to trust Him completely. That will please Him more than anything.

Dave Burchett is an Emmy Award winning television sports director, author, and Christian speaker. He is the author of When Bad Christians Happen to Good People and Bring'em Back Alive: A Healing Plan for those Wounded by the Church.