All of this is nothing new. A shadowy and little-known prophet who preached during the waning years of the seventh century B.C. had also seen it all and was in deep distress. His own corrupt and unjust society was on the verge of collapse. The Assyrians had laid waste to the northern kingdom of Israel and had constantly threatened Judah and Jerusalem. A new nightmare loomed on the horizon in the form of another rapacious superpower: Babylon. It was all too much to handle; the violence and destruction had taken their toll.
Habakkuk shrieked and wailed against God. When are you going to hear my prayers and put things right? The answer that he received is as relevant today as it was then. These things would surely end but perhaps not right away. That didn’t matter — it was the time for faith and courage, to stand fast and not lose heart. The righteous person lives by a firm belief in truth, justice and compassion, as well as absolute trust in the One from whom all these qualities flow.
Faith is not really faith until it is tested in the fires of everyday experience. In our own crazy world, there is little we can do directly to alter events or make a huge change, although we should not underestimate ourselves. One thing that is important, however, is to live a life of faith amidst it all. This means witnessing to the living God by the way we live with justice, dignity, integrity, hope, kindness, compassion and more than a dash of good humour. This is what a righteous person looks like in the 21st century and we can find them both within and outside of faith communities — in fact, we can find them anywhere.
Sometimes this inner fire needs to be rekindled, as the author of 2 Timothy recognized. People can succumb to the body blows that life can dish out or to an overload of negativity from what surrounds them. The laying on of hands means the support of community — those who are with us and those who came before us. The gift of the Spirit that is imparted includes power, love and courage. It is difficult to witness to the presence of God’s Spirit if our lives are marked by cowardice or selfishness.
The apostles did not ask Jesus to increase their belief. They asked for a growth in faith, which is trust in God and a deep inner conviction of God’s love and provident care. Faith can do more than move mountains or uproot trees. It will see us through even the most painful difficulties. More importantly, it will also contribute to healing and transforming the world.
As a warning against thinking of ourselves as someone special for having faith, Jesus told one of many Lukan Gospels stories about slaves and masters. The slave who did his chores and waited on the master should not expect thanks or recognition for his efforts — he was only doing his job, what he was supposed to do. By living a life of faith and making our own contributions to the common good we should not look for praise, recognition, special treatment or prizes. We are merely manifesting the image and likeness of God that is etched on our souls. Faith is an inner moral and spiritual compass by which we navigate through life.
At the same time it illuminates the path of so many others who journey with us. Living a life of deep faith is one of the most positive and life-giving responses we can make to the challenges of our world.