Trustworthiness is a widely-valued attribute. Across gender, ethnic and religious lines, people who can be trusted are considered to be valuable. Surrounding yourself with trustworthy people and being trustworthy yourself is a smart idea.
It comes as little surprise that questions #3 and #4 from the Wesley brothers’ Holy Club questions relate to trustworthiness. We’ll zero in for a bit on #4, and it’s not a complicated question. Here it is:
Can I be trusted?
While the value of trustworthiness transcends just about every barrier, trustworthiness ought to be of particular value for the Christian. Here are a few reasons why:
- A Christian should tell the truth
- A Christian should live by the golden rule
- A Christian should strive for Christ-likeness
- If you can’t trust a follower of Christ, who can you trust?
Okay, okay. Maybe I’m meddling a bit with the last one. But it’s a fair question. According to my six-year-old, Christians are people who “Love, trust and obey God.” When we obey all that Christ commanded, we are trustworthy. And a person who is trustworthy can be counted on to tell – and speak – the truth.
Really, this concept is not difficult to grasp, though it is difficult to live by, so I want to keep it simple. But I’ll finish by coming at it once more in reverse.
If you’re still having a hard time seeing the value of trustworthiness, consider its opposite. Betrayal is a among the most diabolical of offenses. It’s near to the heart of the devil himself. He was an angel in the presence of God and wished to usurp His position (Isaiah 14:12-14). Righteous adoration was replaced by jealous hatred and he was exiled from heaven, taking with him a large portion of the angels (Luke 10:18, Revelation 12:7-9). It was Satan himself who entered the heart of Judas to move Judas to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3), so it’s safe to conclude that Satan values those who cannot be trusted to do the right thing.
While we are more like God when we are trustworthy and marked by honesty, consistency and integrity, we are more like the devil when characterized by a lack of trustworthiness and/or betrayal. This involves regular and conscious work on our part, and sacrifice. It requires courage and a willingness to demonstrate tough love..and we can only do it consistently with the help of the Holy Spirit. But the payoff is huge, in this life and the next.
Have you read…?
Twenty-Two Questions Worth Asking Question #1: Hypocrisy? Promises of God and an Easter Appeal
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