In the Mind of a Fish

I am still talking about faith, but not in the way that I have been. I have been talking about why and what people put their faith in. Some put their faith in science and some in religion. Others put their faith in themselves and, still others in God.

Each of those objects of faith has its own value to the person who is putting his faith in it. In other words, when I approach a cow for milk, I am demonstrating my confidence in the cow's ability to provide that milk. I think that the cow is the sort the produces milk and I think the cow actually has milk in her. I may see that the cow's utters are full and may have even seen other people or a calf retrieving milk to help bolster my faith in her milk producing ability. By demonstrating that I am trusting the cow to provide milk, I am proclaiming that cow's trustworthiness to provide milk.

if I put my faith in a worm to produce milk, I will be sorely (Sorely: To a very high degree or level of intensity especially of an unwelcome or unpleasant state or emotion) disappointed. But, if I put my faith in a cow to produce milk, I may be pleased with the result if all things are in place as they should be in order for a cow to produce milk.

A cow can produce milk, but not for those who attempt to extort the milk from the cow. We have to approach the cow in the proper manner to extract the milk. Threatening, or pleading with the cow will not result in even a glass of milk. Even if we approach the cow in a correct manner and the cow has no milk at this time, we will fail to gain the result we expect. But applying the hands to the utter that is full of milk, will give us plenty. Even though the faith in the cow to provide milk is legitimate, if our manner of extraction is not the correct one or it isn't time for the cow to produce milk, we will fail.

When we fail to get what we are expecting from the source of our faith, we may find that we become afraid to put our faith in that source. The legitimate source of our faith is still there and is still legitimate, but we have failed to approach  the cow in a manner that will produce the expected result of our faith.

When I fail to gain any milk from a cow that otherwise provides milk for others, I won't necessarily notice that it is my own approach that is at fault. Instead, I may blame the cow or say that the milk is only for some, but not for me. When I fail in my approach and then blame the source of the faith for my failure, I tell the story of a cow that doesn't produce milk. The result is to dishonor the cow's gift and reputation.