Lately, I’ve been giving some thought to what trust is.
Bear with this one… its kinda boring.
We all usually give dignity to those we choose to trust without any history to support it, because we just simply like them because of what it is about that person externally and somewhat internally that warms us up to the idea of trusting them. We trust them until they hurt us, and invade our comfort zone, or even breach the lines of trust out of insecurity or even intentionally for personal gain.
The trustee (the one whom trust is being given), must do their part by maintaining that trust through means of thoughtfulness, respect, helpful deeds, time & careful emotional investment, even up to tenderly rebuking the one with open arms with trust if there is a need for it.
Trusting someone means you are aware that their love, though with sincere effort, is weak, but you hope for the best, that they will not take advantage of you.
Some people take the knowledge they know about someone, and manipulate situations with charm, and affirmation, yet they are multi-tasking other relationships through what they know to get what they want. Everyone wants to climb high on the ladder, because we all want to be adored, wanted, and cherished… and even to be that one everyone idolizes.
So there is only risk when we choose to trust people. The end result is a long lasting relationship that goes through seasons of great trust, and great pain. So, when we choose to trust this person, and give them dignity and grace, there is still the inevitable moment of truth, the breach, where the relationship goes through some re-assesment, and a deep breath.
Some people give too much grace, and out of insecurity or fear of loss of the friendship, allow the trustee to step all over them… which can be viewed as a humble move, but its harms their own personal growth in finances, self-worth, emotional stability, talents, etc.
What got me into thinking about this, was two things. Someone attempting to take advantage of me and acting as if I was totally unaware and naive to their intentions. And also the phrase on our currency “in God we trust.”
Trusting God is really easy, but also risky, yet the benefits are far greater than what the greatest men and women could spend their whole life diligently striving for. Trusting God is merely just not letting anxiety to rule your decisions and feelings about where you are at any moment of your life, but it is choosing to sit down, shut-up and pray. Trusting God is admitting that we are weak, and NEED His help. Trusting God is admitting that “I am more stupid than any man, I do not have understanding of man, nor knowledge of the Holy One.” (Proverbs 30:2). We fail to look at eternity and how small we are in this vast creation, get lost in the moment, and anxiety takes over.
If you look at the general cry of America, “yes we can”; it is from a heavy burdening desire for change from our bad decisions. This is a fantasy that we can rise up in our own human strength and bring this nation to a new level of independence and glory. The wasted money, the weak policy of banking, the unclear tax codes, the impoverished nations, hypocrisies, nasty politics, human trafficking, sex-slavery, murder, abortion, theft… makes us all realize that justice must be served.
In man we have chosen to trust time and time again. In ancient days, they not only tried to trust in man, but in vain, STROVE for a response and favor from their MANY gods. Plato, Porphyry, Varro, other Greeks, & Romans spent a large amount of time contending for and against the needs of the gods, because they wanted something TANGIBLE. This is Proverbs 30:2 in effect, but just without fruit. They knew nothing, and chose to believe in an image, because in our limited knowledge cannot comprehend who God is in His infinite qualities, nor His not being bound to a physical frame as we are.
It seems to be the only time we choose to trust God is when there is a heavy feeling of uncertainty, or our circumstances and way of living have been so shaken, that we are humbled, and sincerly ask Him for help. As soon as God blesses us, and things are good, we turn to our comforts because the curse of death is still upon us, and we desire certainty & pleasure NOW, and typcially, we choose to trust ourselves more often than God because we often go astray when things feel certain or better than it was before. It’s funny I brought that up, because the next part of the Proverb says: (a prayer of Agur, the son of Jakeh…)
7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.
When push comes to shove, it will be crazy for a minute. Finding contentment should be easy if you are breathing, and have had food in your stomach today, and are warm in this nasty cold winter.
Trusting God comes down to knowing that He is not far off, being still, knowing that the unseen God is aware of the need for Justice, and His desire is that the lost would be saved. And from here I could go on about God’s original design of creation, understanding what heaven truly is, and how Jesus Christ is truly the center and mediator for the Justice we are all waiting in AGONY for…etc.
What truly allows you to trust in Him, is when you have hope. “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Having hope takes unwavering faith that there is a plan for restoration, and what was lost when man fell, and chose our own will over His abundant love and security. Trusting that He is not like us, and did not leave us to rot, is a necessity to have hope in the daily race of life.
