Pistis

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

The article 'Elpis' (http://theagleswingfoundation.blogspot.com/2012/07/elpis.html) remains one of my favourites. I had no intention of writing a 'Pistis' version but the memory of yesterday leaves me nothing, but an aching finger to type the events and share it.

'Elpis' was a writing of hope; 'Pistis' however is a faith talk. Before I dive into the Greek myth of 'Pistis' allow me to share the inspiration to talk about faith.  I had taught about Joseph, the biblical character to a small youth class in the morning, gone for a meeting all through the afternoon and had an insightful conversation about why men and women do some of the things they do sometimes. Not many inspirational droplets had jumped to me all through the day until I had the honour of being dashed a huge dose of inspiration by beholding the departure avenue of the Kotoka International Airport. Of course, departures in any form are as emotional as anyone could dream it. I was seeing off somebody I have grown to cherish and love. The kind of person I can be all I am with and still feel completely at home. I do not have many people in my life like this, so as the truth is, I do miss her. But it is in the memory that she will be away for a while that strikes the inspiration; the fact that she will always be with me until I see her again which hopefully will be soon. The use of hope borrows from 'Elpis' but the faith that she will always be with me is the 'Pistis' all humanity shares.

In Greek mythology, Pistis (Πίστις) was the personification of good faith, trust and reliability. The Greeks say, Pistis was one of the good spirits who escaped Pandora's Box and fled back to heaven abandoning mankind. So although, Elpis was the only gift left, Pistis was in the box at a point. I have gained new insights to faith and these are:

1. Confidence is an evidence of faith. The word confidence borrows from the Latin, 'Confidere' which is to have full trust and amply personifies 'Fides' the Roman equivalent of 'Pisitis'. How often does humanity claims faith but with little confidence? Elpis is the having of the dream whiles as Pistis is the evidence of the things not seen. Confidence is not wavering; it is the expression of feeling of certainty. My first lesson on faith is summed up by the famous American author, Mark Twain. He says, "To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence." I like this quote first because it is humorous but importantly because it sums up what faith is, the fact that we may not know all the future holds and promises, yet the firm certainty that what we hope for will happen.
2. Coming to faith is accumulating trust. Faith requires a significant level of trust. Humanity lives by trusting. Trusting vehicles, professionals, and entirely everything we use. The level of trust at any point in time is promoted by a judgment of competence. The judgment may be based on facts or gut. However the source of trust, trust remains specific with an expectation.  We only exercise faith when we are satisfied by our judgment of competence although sometimes, the chosen option(s) appear the only available choice. However the circumstance surrounding what and who we trust, we build confidence only by trusting the competence of the trusted to deliver on the specific expectation.
3. Faith is a prudent option. Preceding the second insight is the knowledge of why there is little faith and confidence by extension. Our culture has taught us very little about trust but I choose to learn from the reasoning of the notable French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher, Blaise Pascal. Pascal indicated of faith that it is a wise wager, and rightly so, it is! There will always be doubts, opinions and unknowns, faith however pursues with certainty to gain that which it wagers. Is it risky? Of course it is! But the truth remains that, 'The heart has its reasons for which reason knows nothing' (Pascal). Conviction in the heart is what must guide faith's course.

I end with a reflection from Pauline's thought from his popular love corridor (1 Cor. 13:13). In one breath, Paul indicates Elpis, and Pistis as two of the three most important things, he ices his thought nevertheless by saying, with all that Elpis and Pistis may be, they leads to LOVE, the greatest. Oh, my God!  I am in Love ...

A Walk into the Parks: An Invitation to the 'Other' Woman

The myths about today are incessantly varied, but a popular biography of Valentinus, the Saint, holds that he performed weddings for young soldiers who were albeit forbidden to marry because Emperor Claudius II believed unmarried soldier were better. He performed the ceremony of matrimony for this young love birds at the perils of his and their lives, and ultimately martyred because he believed in the supremacy of LOVE.

I choose to tell you this story to begin my invitation to you for a walk into the imagined future reality we can create. Not many words come to me now yet I'm flooded with unending thought of what I want to write. Three thoughts pierce my fingers into the keyboard however:

1. The Call for Confidence. The story of Valentine licks courage for confidence steadily into our thoughts. Conflicting convictions are always the reality, thus the learning of this lesson is a human need. An emperor with all his clout, power and affluence gets convinced of a 'finding' about 'The age of celibacy and the hidden military powers.' A research topic he may have poured energy, time and resources into. In the interest of the Republic and the safety of Rome he holds a confident opinion of his no marriage for the young men policy. Conflicting as opinions will always have it, a priest who obviously is in a minority group, has little authority if any, gets convinced of the exact opposite idea. Hold opposing ideas and loose the head which bears that conviction was the mantra of Valentine's day. The young priest, however, audaciously assert the torch of confidence in the gloom conviction of the emperor choosing faith to rescue romantic love so he may die.
2. Assail your Mast to Catch the Wind. Uncertainties remains the common denominator for every conviction. Wherever confidence may direct will not exclude us from the icy hands of the unknown.We may have glimpses of the future but purpose as it is will only be understood in hindsight. The unknown is not necessary the enemy of the young and confident. Let us hold to stretch our wings together, firmly confident of this one thing, that we will harness the winds unto purpose's end.
3. Posterity is the Judge. Claudius II and Valentine has been left to history to see who they crown hero. We may makes small seemingly unimportant decision for love but it is our great grandchildren who will judge the wisdom of our choices today.

I write this to invite you to walk with me in the confidence of all you are, brace yourself to sail with me in all the times that may come. I invite you to a family of an example under God full of love and purpose. I can but end in the words of one who could express it better in his Sonnet XVIII.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee."

- William Shakespeare