Have you ever considered just how all encompassing the word – Trust – is? This word defines a relationship at its core. Without trust, no relationship can grow – it always stays at arm’s length. But what convinces you to trust or not trust someone? Is it merely a feeling? Probably not, but what is it? Is it what the other person does, says or what they don’t do, say? Yes – all of these (especially as confirmed by them over time). Does it take you a short or longer time to trust? And… how do you feel if you do trust someone? Equally important – how does your behavior change when you are with another person and you trust… or don’t trust… or are in the midst of determining how much to trust? Another equally important – do you know who trusts you!?
I would tend to think that trust is the foundation in all relationships. You really can’t develop any relationship unless there is a growing trust. And that’s the point… growing. It is rarely immediate and needs to grow in a variety of ways and areas. But it’s the personal you that’s important when it comes to trust. You can forgive a mistake, intentional or not, from another when the issue is somewhat peripheral to you. But when it involves who you are and if it involves something very personal, then trust takes on greater significance.
Soooo, when it comes to the Lord. Do you trust Him? Do you trust Him with who you are or do you hold back a bit (even though this is absurd since He knows everything)? It’s almost like if you haven’t put words to (fill in the blank) then it’s still yours and you don’t have to discuss it with the Lord. I’ve done this. Realllllly foolish. It accomplishes nothing except to keep me in my bondage because that tends to be the ‘topic’ we keep to ourselves. Proverbs 14:10 says: “The heart knows its own bitterness, And no stranger shares its joy.” – sometimes no friend does either.
I’m sure we’ve all faced those times when we feel betrayed, that our trust has been broken. Should we have known better? Perhaps. But that isn’t the point – the pain of betrayal is piercing. However, when I went to scripture to find the what and how our instruction is stated – not what I expected. What I was surprised about was that every scripture on ‘trust’ was about our trusting God. I never found a verse about trusting one another. Yet… I found countless scriptures about forgiving and loving one another. Perhaps that’s the point about trust?
Another way of looking at trust and trusting others is the word, trustworthy. Describe you? Do you deserve trust – and why, how do you know? Have you ever (deliberately or unintentionally) betrayed a trust from others? Did the other person find out? How were you treated as a result? Do you know that others trust you? What is the quality(ies) you possess that makes you trust-able? Is this how you judge if another person is trust-able? Actually… what qualities describe and define trustworthy? No simple answers. No quick response. But incredibly important – never ignore.
I don’t suggest that we extend to one another the same degree of trust we give to the Lord. But… we might look at how He trusts us as a model for how we should trust one another. And yes, always keep in mind applying the scripture that tells us to test the spirits (1 John 4:1-6).
