Time for Reflection
Good morning. It is entirely appropriate that, here at the University of Aberdeen, we welcome the chaplain to the university, the Rev Easter Smart, to lead our time for reflection.
Rev Easter Smart (Chaplain to the University of Aberdeen):
I welcome you all to Aberdeen.
In Tolkien's masterpiece, "The Fellowship of the Ring", the character Frodo tries to make a hasty getaway by boat in order to pursue his mission to Mordor alone. His trusty friend Sam chases him, falls into the water and nearly drowns.
"‘Oh, Mr Frodo, that's hard!' said Sam shivering. ‘That's hard, trying to go without me and all. If I hadn't a guessed right, where would you be now?'
‘Safely on my way.'
‘Safely!' said Sam. ‘All alone and without me to help you? I couldn't have a borne it, it'd have been the death of me.'…
‘But I am going to Mordor.'
‘I know that well enough, Mr Frodo. Of course you are. And I'm coming with you.'
‘Now, Sam,' said Frodo, ‘don't hinder me! … I must go at once. It's the only way.'
‘Of course it is,' answered Sam. ‘But not alone. I'm coming too, or neither of us isn't going.' …
Frodo actually laughed. A sudden warmth and gladness touched his heart."
I would like to talk to you about trust. Those of you who have trusted people in your lives know that trust is more precious than riches. Trust between people does not require that they always agree or expect each other to get it right all the time. Trust is simply knowing that they are there for you, like Sam, and that they are not going to leave you, because they want to help you to get where you need to go.
It is a great thing to be trustworthy. Luke's Gospel says:
"Whoever can be trusted with little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with little will also be dishonest with much."
Someone compared trust to holding water in your cupped hand. If your fingers open and the water seeps out, it is hard to get it back again. The same is true of trust—once it has been lost, it is hard to regain.
Faith in God is about choosing to trust in the companionship of God. Like Frodo, many people would prefer to go it alone, rather than to put trust in God. The ancient Hebrews chose to trust in God. We are told in Exodus:
"the people … put their trust in him."
They believed that God brought them through many hardships and helped to lead them where they needed to go.
Here in Aberdeen, Bishop Elphinstone, through his trust in God, and with the support of the church and the help of his king, built this university 500 years ago.
Our Queen and you, the members of the Scottish Parliament, have been entrusted with the great job of leading this nation. However, you also have the assurance that you are not alone, for you are supported and prayed for by the nation's people. You can trust that God will guide and help you, too.
Today, we pray for places where there is still deprivation and conflict. We can also give our thanks to God that we do not face the present or journey into the future alone. We can trust in the good will of trustworthy people and in the constant love and companionship of our God to guide us.
Amen.