Trusting

For Friday, September 14, 2007
Proverbs 25:19

Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.

We must trust others. Walking down the street, we trust drivers not to swerve into us. Ordering our food, we trust the cook not to contaminate our dish. Unconcious trusting is necessary simply to go through an ordinary day. We raise the trust level as we conciously are aware of the role others play. Thus, the laborer trusts his supervisor to give directives that will not lead to injury. The employee trusts his employer not to fire him without cause. Likewise, the employer and supervisor trust their workers to do their best and not undermine them.

But these common day experiences still require a measure of alertness. It is imprudent to walk down a street when you see cars swerving dangerously. You ought not to eat in a restaurant that has been cited for food poisoning. Employers and employees may take advantage of one another.

Where alertness is most needed is where the risks are greatest - putting your savings into the hands of an investor; following counsel about your future; giving your heart to another. Pay attention to the person you are trusting. Learn his reputation. It is the gift of treacherous persons to appear trustworthy. All the more reason then to learn his past.

The world is dangerous and we must be wary of whom we trust. But all the more reason to give thanks to God that the greatest risk of all - the welfare of our souls - is placed in the most trustworthy of hands - God the Father (John 10:29). He who controls our destiny is the one who will always do what is best and see that all things work out for our good (Romans 8:28). The world is dangerous, but the Creator and Ruler of the world is good and sovereign. We may not be able to know who and when to trust, but we can always trust the one who holds us in his hands.