Proverbs 25:19
Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
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. Unconscious trusting is necessary simply to go through an ordinary day. We raise the trust level as we consciously 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.
Psalm 116
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful servants.
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;
I serve you just as my mother did;
you have freed me from my chains.17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord—
in your midst, Jerusalem.Praise the Lord.[a]