October 08, 2009

The Need to Trust Others

Luke 16:10-13

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much …”
Luke 16:10

— 

My father never made it into any newspapers or books of world records, but for me he left a legacy of trust. There was never any doubt about his trustworthiness with church finances, whether meager or bountiful. He preached being trustworthy while cautioning us about trusting others. I’ve wondered, however, “Did he miss out on the joy of having a friend, besides my mom, whom he could trust with everything?”

Jesus teaches about the essence of trust in our Scripture reading for today. If we are trustworthy with something that has a little value, we can also be trusted with something that has greater value. Jesus indicates that we can also be trusted with more than worldly wealth. Life for us as followers of Jesus is really about handling true riches, and those would include faith and salvation and all the glorious blessings they involve. (See, for example, Ephesians 1:3-14; 2:1-10; 3:14-19; 4:1-6:20.)

True riches are found in relationships of faith, trusting God and trusting each other. Trust develops steadily and gradually over time. A believer who has trusted Jesus for forty years can tell you that his or her trust in God keeps growing, often through challenges and times of testing. Healthy trust that’s rooted in a vibrant relationship with God also helps us to trust other people in our lives, for Jesus’ sake.

Dear God, thank you so much for the trust we can enjoy in you and in our relationships with others. Help us to walk in ways of hope and confidence, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

About the author — George Vink

Pastor George Vink has served as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church for more than 30 years in British Columbia, Montana, Michigan, and California. He and his wife, Shirley, have four married sons and nine grandchildren.

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