True Faith and Trust - Insights From a Motivational Speaker

Motivational speakers need stories with lessons. Here's a great one about true faith and trust.

The amazing story of Charles Blondin, a famous French tightrope walker, is a wonderful illustration of what true faith is.

Blondin's greatest fame came on September 14, 1860, when he became the first person to cross a tightrope stretched 11,000 feet (over a quarter of a mile) across the mighty Niagara Falls. People from both Canada and America came from miles away to see this great feat.

He walked across, 160 feet above the falls, several times... each time with a different daring feat - once in a sack, on stilts, on a bicycle, in the dark, and blindfolded. One time he even carried a stove and cooked an omelet in the middle of the rope!

A large crowd gathered and the buzz of excitement ran along both sides of the river bank. The crowd “Oohed and Aahed!” as Blondin carefully walked across - one dangerous step after another - pushing a wheelbarrow holding a sack of potatoes.

Then a one point, he asked for the participation of a volunteer. Upon reaching the other side, the crowd's applause was louder than the roar of the falls!

Blondin suddenly stopped and addressed his audience: "Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?"

The crowd enthusiastically yelled, "Yes! You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. We believe!"

"Okay," said Blondin, "Who wants to get into the wheelbarrow."

As far as the Blondin story goes, no one did at the time!

This unique story illustrates a real life picture of what faith actually is. The crowd watched these daring feats. They said they believed. But... their actions proved they truly did not believe.

Summary:

Charles Blondin, a famous French tightrope walker, achieved his greatest feat on September 14, 1860, when he became the first person to cross a tightrope stretched across Niagara Falls. Over 11,000 feet long and 160 feet above the water, Blondin amazed spectators with daring stunts such as crossing in a sack, on stilts, and even cooking an omelet in the middle of the rope. In one act, he pushed a wheelbarrow filled with potatoes across the tightrope, then asked the crowd if they believed he could carry a person in it. Despite their enthusiastic belief in his abilities, no one volunteered—revealing the gap between belief and true faith.

Lessons Learned:

• True faith requires action: Belief without willingness to act is not complete faith.
• Confidence in others can falter when risk is involved: People may express belief but hesitate when personal involvement is required.
• Faith is more than words: It's easy to say you believe, but genuine faith is proven by actions.
• Trust must be earned and tested: Even in the face of impressive accomplishments, people may need reassurance before taking risks.
• Courage is key to demonstrating belief: It’s one thing to believe in someone else's abilities, but true trust requires taking personal risk.