The Problem With Trust

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” —Matthew 6:19-21

I was trying to think of the appropriate verse for this topic. What we trust in – who we trust – why we trust. Well I guess I should define my terms  first. Trust is “a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something” In the case of things that we trust, Jesus said don’t place your trust on the things of this world – it is all going to burn up – wood, hay and stubble – what was created on this earth will return to dust to nothing.  Why would we have confidence in things? Simply because things that you can have and hold and touch and accumulate make our flesh confident about our future and our contentment. Jesus always spoke from a spiritual perspective in mind. 

“Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” – Luke 12:16-21

You see it was not the having, it was the trusting in what he had and that led to his sin – missing God’s intent for the man’s bounty which was to help others with it. Misplaced trust. We all struggle with it. It is a great temptation for all of us.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” – Jim Elliot.  Jim Elliot gave his life as a martyr. The greatest sacrifice – but God has called us to be living sacrifices. Time – talent and treasure – it all belongs to God.

The real trust problem has to do with trusting others.  Charley Elgin’s Rule No. 5 – “Trust is easy to lose and virtually impossible to find again.” Once someone has violated your trust it is a problem for most people to ever trust them again. Some people seek forgiveness with not intention of changing – others are truly repentant. It difficult to separate the wheat from the tares. Only time will tell. It is a Biblical mandate to forgive – but we are not God and cannot see the heart of man – and so we withhold our trust until we see a demonstration of that repentance. That can take time – sometimes a long time.  Waiting for proof before trust is restored is one thing – withholding trust out of spite or vindictiveness is quite another. Some people just hold a grudge because they have been hurt deeply – trust violated – it is hard to find it again. Today we don’t know who to trust – so many in our government have been caught in lies and deception – it is hard to trust – Fake news is nothing more than lies. But there is One that we can trust – One who is reliable – Who does not change – Whose words are true.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the first-fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.” – Proverbs 3:5-15

Put your trust in the right place. It is foundational to right living. Right living is out of our reach apart from having the right relationship. Let your light Shine Bright my friend and give God the glory He is due.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone