The art of Chinese Calligraphy is stunning to a westerner who is accustomed to communicating with an alphabet.  This language of the far east is as beautiful to look at as it challenging is to comprehend.  It overwhelms the mind of the artist, and makes the heart faint when considering to learn it.

But one cannot help to be curious…to circle around each character…poking, prodding, trying to see if only one part of its code can be cracked.  The discovery that the oldest characters were so thoughtfully assembled thousands of years ago only tortures the one who is fascinated by etymology.[i]

To understand the pictogram of ‘trust’ is a sweet discovery.  Perhaps it is a basic character, the artist does not know.  The word picture of ‘faith’ depicts a man aside a thousand words coming from His mouth.  How precious that is, as the Only One Man to be completely trusted is the Word of God Himself.

He taught us to take our example from the birds of the air.  They have that faith built into their intuition.  While we struggle about and worry of food and clothing, the birds do what they were made to do.  They cruise in the loft of the winds; they nest and bear families.  They sing.  And when it is time to eat, the Creator gives them as they need from His Heavens. 

These are the words from The Man to build our faith, to strengthen our trust.  So often in the collective writings that are His ordained word to us, He would tell of a scarlet cord incorporated in moments when trust was essential.  It is in these times that one would display this symbol of faith to avoid the darkness of death and sin.

In faithfulness to His promise, He would grant that safety, healing, and purity at the sight of the scarlet ribbon displayed.  Seemingly odd, the scarlet would foreshadow the ultimate source of safety, healing and purity.  That is the ribbon of blood, belonging to the Son of Man given in loving sacrifice.  That One Act gave us the ultimate reason to trust.  It is the invitation to have faith…to trust the promises that rise from His Mouth.

[i] et-y-mol-o-gy: the study of the origin of words