June 6, 2010
Psalm 146
“Trust The Evidence”
Franklin Circle Christian Church
Rev. Allen V. Harris

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The theme of today’s scripture text, and thus for today’s service, is “trust.” Of course, the question that gets at the heart of that theme is, “In whom do you trust?” Now, I’m not going to ask this congregation that question for, while I do not know every single one of you, I know enough of you quite well, and I know you trust in God. I am certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that most, if not all, of you rely upon God with your entire being. I am convinced that you have faith in the God who is made manifest as creator, redeemer, and sustainer of all that was, is, and is yet to come. I have no doubts, from my heart to my head, that you have committed yourself to the sovereign ruler of the universe who is also the precious savior shepherd who leads you beside still waters and through the dark valleys.

So, if the question is not, “In whom do you trust,” then what is the question? I think, for me, after reading, meditating, reflecting upon Psalm 146, the question has become, “How do others, who may not have this same kind of trust, come to rely upon God themselves?” I want to propose that it has less to do with the words we use than the lives we live. To put it bluntly, when it comes to trust, “The proof is in the puddin!’”

Let’s first take a quick gander at the theme of “trust” in the Bible. According to the website “BlueLetterBible.com” there are 134 instances of the word “trust” in the King James Version of the Bible. (1) Some examples:

David proclaimed, “The God of my rock; in him will I trust: [God is] my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; thou savest me from violence.” (2 Sam. 22:3)

Job defiantly rebukes his advisors and yet puts God on notice when he says, “Though God slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” (Job13:15)

As one might imagine, the most number of occurrences of the word, “trust,” in scripture is in the book of Psalms. Here the themes brought out in Psalm 146 are echoed again and again. A similar lack of trust in rulers and abundant trust in God is sung in Psalm 20, “Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7) and in Psalm 44 “For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. (Psalm 44:6). The prophet Isaiah has the second most number of references to trust, and more often than not Isaiah warns against putting too much trust in those in power.

But this distrust of those in authority isn’t the only place we should reserve our faith. In Psalm 62, likewise, the Psalmist reminds us to not trust in our own powers, particularly when they lead to injustice, “Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart [upon them]. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power [belongeth] unto God.” (Psalm 62:10-11)

Jesus picks up this theme when he warns against trusting in the riches one gains in this life, “And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, ‘Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!’” (Mark 10:24)

So, as I began thinking about trust, I wondered where is it most often used in contemporary society. I thought of something that almost every single one of us has on us: money. Coins and currency in the United States carries the words, “In God We Trust.” So, I looked up a little bit on the history of how this phrase was put on our money.

From the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s “Fact Sheet” web page I found out that:

In December 1863, [James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia] submitted designs for new one-cent coin, two-cent coin, and three-cent coin to [Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase] for approval. He proposed that upon the designs either OUR COUNTRY; OUR GOD or GOD, OUR TRUST should appear as a motto on the coins. In a letter to the Mint Director on December 9, 1863, Secretary Chase stated:
 

“I approve your mottoes, only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY. And on that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE TRUST.”
 

The Congress passed the Act of April 22, 1864. This legislation changed the composition of the one-cent coin and authorized the minting of the two-cent coin. The Mint Director was directed to develop the designs for these coins for final approval of the Secretary. IN GOD WE TRUST first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin.
Another Act of Congress passed on March 3, 1865. It allowed the Mint Director, with the Secretary's approval, to place the motto on all gold and silver coins that "shall admit the inscription thereon."
 

A law passed by the 84th Congress (P.L. 84-140) and approved by the President on July 30, 1956, President [Dwight D. Eisenhower] approved a Joint Resolution of the 84th Congress, declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States. IN GOD WE TRUST was first used on paper money in 1957, when it appeared on the one-dollar silver certificate. The first paper currency bearing the motto entered circulation on October 1, 1957. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) was converting to the dry intaglio printing process. During this conversion, it gradually included IN GOD WE TRUST in the back design of all classes and denominations of currency. (2)

So, here’s my dilemma and my question: Is there any irony in the fact that we have put on the coin of the realm, the currency of the empire, the phrase “In God We Trust” when one of the strongest admonitions in scripture is to avoid putting trust in princes, powers, and human authority? Which leads to my second question, and that is: Does putting this motto on all of our coins and currencies really make a difference, does it really help people to trust in God?

So, I went back to Psalm 146 and found my answer. Really, according to Psalm 146, it matters less what is said and therefore what is printed regarding trust. What matters most is the evidence of trust. Trust the evidence. And for the Psalmist, and I would say this is consistent throughout the Bible, the evidence of trust is clear.

Hear it again:
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
 

Where is the proof of our trust in God?
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me creation. Who else could make the skies pour out like lakes and the clouds thunder like an earthquake?
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the oppressed have justice!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the hungry are fed!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the prisoners are set free!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the blind can see!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not those who are bowed down are lifted up!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the righteous are loved!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the stranger is watched over!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the orphan and widow are upheld!
> Don’t tell me “In God We Trust.” Just show me whether or not the ways of the wicked are brought to ruin!

Do I think words are important? Certainly I do. I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t think words were transforming and powerful. But when it comes to my faith, I have less a need for the princes, powers, authorities, and, in general, all “mortals” to hear my words than I do for them to see my actions. For at the end of the day “The Lord will reign forever,” of this I have no doubt, but at the end of my day, when someone asks me, “In Whom did you trust, Allen” I want them to close their ears to my words, if I am able to speak them at all, and, rather, be able to see and know a long life of deeds and actions where the hungry were fed, the righteous were loved, and the stranger was watched over to prove in whom my trust was given. Trust the evidence!

May it be so!
Amen

(1) http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=trust&t=KJV

(2) United States Department of the Treasury web page, “Fact Sheet: Currency & Coins, History Of ‘In God We Trust,’” at http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/in-god-we-trust.shtml

For an interesting additional article, which relates to the time period in which the words “In God We Trust” was added to our printed currency, in the 1950’s, and related actions, go to http://www.slate.com/id/2067499  from the online e-zine, Slate, “HISTORY LESSON - The Pledge of Allegiance: Why we're not one nation "under God." By David Greenberg Updated Friday, June 28, 2002
 

Rev. Allen V. Harris
Franklin Circle Christian Church
www.FranklinCircleChurch.org


 

Copyright 2010 -- The Rev. Allen V. Harris

Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096