Sacrifical trust: taking the risk!

Having served on the Board of Directors of both public and private not-for-profit organizations, some certainly work better than others. All must be incorporated by the state; and must therefore have elected officers and a constitution. I have learned that organizations that make the least references to their legal documents are probably the most healthy.

When a School Board of Directors or a congregational council begin to pull out their copies of the constitution, you can bet there is trouble. And that trouble is an unhealthy lack of trust.

In our public discussions, some Americans, regularly refer to The Constitution of the United States.
And what is often heard next is: "That is unconstitutional!" As the U.S. document begins with the powers and responsibilities of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government; it should be easy to see the assumption is that no one (or two) were to be trusted. "That is unconstitutional" is the cry of mistrust. Some Christians, who have a tendency to be legalistic, will be heard quoting form various constitutions. Others who focus more on the Gospel (as taught and lived by Jesus) are led by His Spirit to sacrificial trust. Not blind trust, but a trust that is beyond the comprehension of those who are not disciples.

This weekend, the Christian historian Martin Marty was in town. In a lecture given at a local Lutheran congregation, Marty mentioned that great leaders are those who are able to elicit sacrificial trust. Great leaders are open to taking a risk and trust in what can be.
In recent times, people like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas Gandhi, and Susan B. Anthony are examples of trusting sacrificially.

Two phrases of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution challenge us to trust in what can be.
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice....promote the general welfare." Justice is a moving target. What was accepted as justice in 1787 had changed by 1887 and even more-so by 1987. (an example being our voting rights legislation). So is the promotion of the general Welfare a never ending and changing task. Both call for leaders who are able to take us beyond our fears to trust in what can be. A more perfect union. And that isn't unconstitutional!