WITHOUT TRUST LIFE IS INOPERABLE

I got home from an afternoon of grocery shopping and discoveed I had two bags of sugar although I had puchased only one bag. I knew what happened. While checking out, the checker decided my sugar bag was leaking and therefore torn and she sent the Grocery Sacker for a new and untorn bag of sugar. Obviously, I had arrived home with both bags, so promptly the next morning I returned to Kroger Customer Service and showed my ticket.

I gave my explanation and informed the lady if that error was not in my favor, I would be there claiming my money back. However, the error seemed to be their error, and in my favor; therefore, I was there to pay what I owed Kroger. She listened then allowed me to pay, which I did--$1.99 for a bag of sugar I arrived home with that I did not pay for.

I know many people would have let that go by the board ... an error ... in my favor ... so much the better for me. NO! That is not how I operate. I am a Jesus Follower but I am also an honest man.

I try to live by moral and ethical principles of obvious integrity. However, I practice honesty because I am an honest man and NOT because I believe in God, NOT because The bible prescribes honest living, NOT even because God tells me to live honestly.

I personally practice honesty because without trust, life does not work. Without trust, there is no reaal life and we have no basis for a safe social network. Without trust, we have no society, in which we can safely participate. 

When I get into my car, I put a level of trust in my ability to arrive where I want to go. When I drive on the street, I put a level of trust in my car to function properly, plus I have great trust in Leonard and Rob, my mechanics, and their ability and integrity to maintain my car and protect my safety. When I arrive at Kroger, I have interacted with dozens of drivers that I trusted to some degree to abide by traffic rules that allowed me to arrive safely at the Kroger parking lot. When I enter Kroger, I encounter dozens of people that I put some trust in--to interact kindly and safely with me.

I trust them not to abuse me, cheat me, kill me, or in any way harm me. I put a cetain degree of trust now in hundreds of products and producers of all kinds as I survey their products as helpful to my health and guaranteed not to poison or kill me.

Do I exaggerate this? NO. My life is built on trust: in myself, my circumstances,  and the people I encounter. Without trust, I have no real existence. Even with trust, my life is at risk at all times from any of many unknown factors. I literally live via trust. I personally put my trust in theism; eg, I trust that there is a Supreme Being that I recognize as God Almighty, Jehovah God of the bible. 

I trust God as a better rationale for life than a-theism and building my life on chance that offers a predictable future of non-trust. Because I trust, 

    I take time to live - it is the secret of success.

    I take time to think - it is the source of power.

    I take time to play - it is the secret of youth.

    I take time to read - it is the foundation of knowledge.

    I take time for friendship - it is the source of happiness.

    I take time to laugh - it helps lift life's load.

    I take time to dream -  it hitches the soul to the stars.

    I take time for God - it is life's only lasting investment.

From Warner's World, I am walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com - investing in trust because without it, life is inoperable.