Faith or Reason?

“Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.” ~ Miracle on 34th Street

When I was little, I believed Santa was this loving being who not only delivered presents on Christmas Eve, but also LOVED children unconditionally. As a fatherless daughter, this image brought me great comfort, if only for that one month out of the year.

As an adult, and then later on, a parent, I continued to believe in a loving presence that inspired kindness and peace within our lives.

Reason, of course, would have us believe there could never be a Santa. After all, how could one man get presents to every child on the planet in less than a day? And honestly, was there ever a present under a tree that the parents couldn’t explain? If there really were a Santa, parents would be just as surprised on Christmas morning as their children were!

However, my faith in this Christmas Spirit is so great, that when I watch movies like The Santa Clause, or Miracle on 34^th Street, I am not just filled with hope for humanity, but I’m actually overwhelmed by it; kindness, peace, and love, are an everywhere present force, even when reason tells me otherwise.

In our world, faith and reason seem to be at polar opposites, and attract two very different kinds of people. Those guided by faith tend to believe that sacred truth is the ultimate truth, and those who don’t agree are hopelessly deceived. Those who hold fast to reason and logic believe that those who don’t follow the path of science and evidence are misguided and delusional.

But what if faith and reason aren’t meant to be in opposition to one another? What if instead, they were meant to work in partnership? Faith is the realm of the heart, and reason is the realm of the mind, and when our heart and mind are congruent, or working as a team, we tend to experience more enthusiasm in our lives.

Reason is about truth and logic, and the probabilities that will lead us to an outcome. Reason gives us resources, but reason alone may cause us to make decisions based on limitation. For example, a child may be told by their parents and teachers that they are not very likely to find success as a musician due to the limited opportunities available to musicians, and that it is definitely in their best interest to choose a safer, more secure, and proven, career path.

Faith is about hope and trust, and what is possible in our lives, if not probable. Faith gives us resourcefulness. Faith, alone, may cause us to dream, but never take action, because we are waiting for something to happen. For example, the child who wants to be a musician may daydream about it, and hope for it, and wait to be discovered!!

Reason teaches us to be a technician. A technician follows instructions, and sticks to the probable outcome by following these previously set instructions.

Faith teaches us to be a dreamer. A dreamer thinks out of the box, beyond probabilities into the realm of what could be, under the right circumstances.

When reason and faith are in partnership, we become an artist. The artist is not limited by previous discoveries, and not trapped in the realm of wishful thinking; instead they have the best of both worlds; when reason and faith are congruent, reason shows us how to take action, and faith leads us forward, out of the comfort zone.