Nothing hurts more than to learn that you have trusted in wrong people or things. For sure, trust is one of the most significant virtues of life.
We become friends with people we trust. We listen to people we trust. We make decisions based on the counsel of trusted advisors. We buy from trusted sources. We put money into banks—trust companies. Even our founding fathers had the wisdom and courage to imprint on our currency, “In God we Trust.”
Too often, however, we come to realize that we are suffering from misplaced trust. This is because truth and trust are linked. We trust those that represent truth. When truth fails there is no real basis for trust. How can we come to peace with the issue of trust?
RELEVANCE
In three places of the Old Testament a story is told of King Hezekiah, a godly king who made some good reforms. There was one critical issue, however, that God was determined to address: the lack of trusting faith in Him. God allowed the king of Assyria– a stronger nation than Egypt– to challenge Hezekiah’s faith. He knew that the people had a case of misplaced trust. They leaned onEgypt to protect them from the daunting power of Assyria. They placed their trust in Egypt over God. So God challenged Hezekiah.
“Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust? You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king ofEgypt to all who trust in him” (2 Kings 18:19-22).
Hezekiah was taught a valuable lesson. He was convicted of trusting in the wrong things. He learned to place more trust in God than all other sources; even those seemingly worthy of great trust.
REFLECT AND RELATE
Conduct a trust inventory. Be honest with yourself. What sources and what people are you placing your trust in?
REFERENCES
2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 31-32; Isaiah 31:1-3; 36-39