"Designing for Trust"
John 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
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In a 2016 Ted Talk, Joe Gebbia, the co-founder of Airbnb, tells a story about the first time he let a stranger whom he had never met before sleep on an airbed in his living room. Staring up at his bedroom ceiling, he recalls tiptoeing over to lock the door in case the person he let in was a serial killer. Well, everything worked out, and the experience led Joe to work with a group of people to work on creating a business that was "designed for trust." Opening the door to your home takes trust, and admittedly there is an element of risk. Except in the case of the disciples, it was not only getting them to open the door, but it was also getting them to leave! In our reading for today, we find how Jesus designed for trust and how amid real and perceived risks, Jesus cultivates trust to call us to bold new living.
The Risky Business of Opening the Door: Who do I trust?
We live in an economy built on trust. Each time you get into your car and pull out, you trust that others will follow the rules of the road. Each time you go to the store, the manager trusts that you're not going to steal from them. Trust is required in each of these transactions, and for each transaction where we trust, we accept that there is a certain degree of risk, real risk. Unfortunately, this risky business keeps the disciples tucked away behind closed doors. They're uncertain about who they can trust, let alone leave the safety of their secure room to go out fulfilling the commission Jesus gave them. How are we cultivating space in our church, in our hearts, and in our spheres of influence that are designed to facilitate trust? In our current climate, where trust appears to be at a premium, how do we mitigate the fears of our hearts that keep us from welcoming new people and keep us from going out and living the heart of God in our lives?
The Risky Business of Acting on Trust: How do I trust?
Risk and trust go hand in hand; you cannot separate the two. They are inseparable because how much we are willing to risk is dependent on the level of trust. And here, when I say trust, I'm not talking about the intellectual practice of trust. It costs me nothing to say, "Well, I trust that person." However, it does cost something when I have to put something on the line by turning my "trust" into action. When talking about "designing for trust," admittedly, I stay in Airbnbs, which are rental homes or private apartments; I typically avoid places in someone's home. Yet there was one time I was driving somewhere; it was getting late, and I needed a place to stay, so I pulled up the Airbnb app and found a place that took a last-minute booking. The owner didn't look much older than me, judging from the profile picture, and they were rated five stars throughout multiple reviews. It was risky, and there was a level of risk, but I took it, and surprisingly it worked out. The host was kind and even invited me to hang out with them and their friends to watch a game.
Do you see what I'm getting at? As we think about living as Easter people, as resurrection people, we need to learn to take risks and take trusting actions. This was the critical moment for the disciples when Jesus came into their midst. Jesus didn't break down any doors, but in this tense post-crucifixion moment, the ground was ripe for sowing seeds of trust between the disciples and Jesus. How can we allow trusting actions to grow (between God, each other, and this community of faith) if we avoid risks, or taking risks, for the sake of wanting to feel secure? We cannot fully live as Easter people if we aren't willing to put something on the line in our response to the call of our risen Lord.
The Business of Trust Requires Cooperation: How do we build community?
Jesus is seeking cooperation between the disciples and himself to carry on the ministry set forth by the Holy Spirit. Of course, those who see Jesus for the first time believe Jesus, they trust him, and they are willing to open the door and go out. However, Thomas isn't there and is not quick to believe the words of the others. Here, we learn a fundamental lesson from Jesus; that lesson is trust is not a one-time occurrence; it is a constant evolution and journey. Jesus makes available to Thomas his wounds and his scars because he understands that a relationship built on trust requires ongoing cooperation and nurturing. Considering the role the Easter story plays in our lives and our faith, let us consider Jesus' ongoing effort to build trust and understanding between God and us. And understanding that all of this is to bring about a new community and new things that call us outside of our locked doors; let us dream this Easter season; let us dream and act in a manner that allows our hearts and sacred spaces to be "designed for trust." Amen.