“For we live by faith, not by sight.”

I just finished reading a children’s classic, “The Princess and the Goblin” by George McDonald. In it, the main character, Princess Irene, comes to meet her kind and compassionate, yet mysterious, great-great-great grandmother. This maternal figure gives her a pearl ring which, in moments of crisis, will reveal to her a magical thread which in turn would show her the way to go and how to escape danger. The thread appears on a few occasions and Irene follows it —even when it leads towards and not away from danger. On one occasion, it takes her away from the safety of the castle and right into the mountain where the dangerous goblins dwell, but Irene goes anyway. She trusts her grandmother and, sure enough, the thread leads her to safety. Others cannot see or feel the thread, but Irene can and so she follows.

I love this story as an illustration of faith, of humble trust in a divine figure and the tiniest of threads. And a lot of times, faith comes down to that: the smallest of steps, again and again and again. Following God leading into danger, but trusting that God’s trustworthiness is greater than the potential for harm. Not knowing the destination of where you are going, but being able to let go of the need to know because you know God knows, and He is the one you trust.

We live by faith and not by sight.

Sometimes it is easier to see the logic in what others say, how other Christians think we should behave or respond. Sometimes it is easier to see what the world says is the responsible way to act, either for our own good or that of others.

Yet, we are not called to live by what we see. We are called to live by faith in our Savior. “Come and follow Me,” Jesus says to His disciples. “Come and follow Me,” He says to us each day. "Trust in where I lead you, even when the outcome is uncertain, the direction makes no sense and others do not understand. Trust that My kindness and love towards you is greater than your fear."

Where will His thread lead you today?

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the Rev. Dr. Suse McBay at smcbay@stmartinsepiscopal.org.