To trust, or not to trust. That is the question. I get weary of people laughing at me. People I used to trust. People I turned to in my time of trial. You really do find out who your friends are when you are going through a trial. Some have no time to listen. Some listen and then privately (or with others) laugh at you. And others surprise you, and stand beside you. I am the first to admit that I don’t know it all. And I’m ok with that. I am grateful for the true friends that have stood beside me in my trials. We all have trials. We all have stuff.
In those blank spaces I choose to trust God and His Word. God is the best. He is faithful. He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t mislead. And He wants the best for me. He doesn’t laugh at me.
As for people, I am still learning ‘who’ to trust with ‘what’. I used to trust everyone – with everything. That didn’t work out so well. Then I trusted people in authority. Until they abused it and thought I was just someone to laugh at and make fun of so they could feel superior. Yeah, that was ‘fun’.
So, from the School of Hard Knocks, here is my list:
HOW TO FIND OUT WHO YOU CAN TRUST
- Do their words match their actions?
- Do they admit that they don’t know it all?
- Do they always have to be right?
- Are they willing to admit their mistakes?
- Do they apologize when they are wrong?
- Do they listen to you when you share what is on your heart?
- Are they willing to help you? Or are they too busy?
- Do they want you to succeed or do they want to find fault?
- Do they follow through?
- Are they concerned for you or do they have their own agenda?
- What happens when you tell them ‘NO’? This one is a biggie. If they won’t respect your ‘NO’, they won’t respect you. And they are NOT to be trusted. Seriously. Pick a thing, anything. It can even be something insignificant, it doesn’t matter. Whether it is where to go for dinner, or what veggie, or what to do next Thursday night. And say “NO”. Watch their response. Do they hear it? Do they acknowledge it? Do they respect it? Or do they argue, whine, or complain? Do they make it a BIG thing? Then they do not respect you, they just want control.
- Trust the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom. Ask. Seek. Knock. And trust God more than anyone. He promised to show us as we test the spirits. Trust Him, and He will show you who you can trust, and who you can’t.