Trust
Trust is the very essence of faith; trust in the God who is trustworthy. ‘Trust in the Lord’ is a central theme in the Psalms. Time and time again, God is the acknowledged as the source of all true security and strength. This is contrasted with trust in chariots, horses, weapons, wealth or princes (Psalm 20:7; 118:8-9). We can easily think of the modern day equivalents. Trust is central to civilised society, to living together in harmony, so it is to be valued and honoured. With wisdom and discernment, we can relearn to trust. We can begin to rebuild trust in our mistrustful society by being reliable ourselves, by not letting people down. Similarly, when we work with others, if we are willing to let go of control ourselves and trust in the abilities and integrity of others, everyone can be enriched. Jesus, after all, entrusted his ongoing work to his disciples and ultimately to us.
We should consider the following questions: How do we show children in practical ways what it means to have trust in others? How can we demonstrate sensitively the repercussions when trust is broken? Which roles models can be presented during this period that will show different kinds of trust that work in our school community and in the wider world?
Trust is essential to building positive relationships. It is rooted in truth, and will grow through consistent experiences based on honesty and integrity. Trust is an important value. It is earned. If we do not trust someone, it is very hard to build a good friendship with them. Trust is central to society and living together in harmony.