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Years ago, I trusted in close friends, colleagues, acquaintances, siblings and even fellow Christian believers. I took their promises to heart. I believed in their assurances and vows. In fact, I also trusted in myself.
But I was wrong. I lacked the understanding of the nature of humans. We are good at speech but bad at performance. We promise in the morning but disappoint in the evening. We are naturally unpredictable when it comes to promises and delivery.
Consider the vows made by couples during wedding ceremonies. What happens after they have pledged to remain faithful, respectful and supportive to each other? Disappointment.
Trusting, in the context of this message, is believing in what people say, accepting their pledges or taking their words to heart. It is regarding people as reliable, trustworthy and dependable.
As you cannot see beyond your nose, so do not trust any human being who changes like chameleon. In fact, do not even trust in yourself. Yes, I do not trust in myself because I change regularly. That is the true nature of man in this fallen world.
Jesus Christ could see beyond His nose; He knew the weakness of man and understood the frailties of man in this regard. Thus, He did not make the mistake of trusting in people not even in His own disciples.
Hours before Christ Jesus was betrayed, arrested and tried to suffer death by crucifixion, He had prophesied that all His disciples would fall away (desert Him) after His arrest (Mark 14:27). But the disciples led by Peter promised to endure with Him.
In Mark 14:29, it is written, “Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not” (Mark 14:29). The apostle continued in verse 31, “But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.”
You see, men pledged to stand with Christ in His moment of suffering, but they failed to honour their word. They denied the Lord and deserted Him to carry His own cross. But Christ was least surprised at their action because He knew that they would fail to keep their word.
In fact, the Lord Jesus would not commit Himself unto people, because He knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man John 2:24–25).
However, Peter testified that Jesus, on the other hand, trusted in the Father who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). Unlike mortal man, God is worth trusting because He is unchanging, constant, reliable and dependable. He does not disappoint after making promises.
It is not surprising that throughout the Bible believers are encouraged to trust in God (Psalm 20:7, Proverbs 3:5-6, John 14:1, Psalm 62:8). Indeed, God alone is trustworthy.
It is, thus, unwise to trust in man, a being who is merely flesh and blood. Scripture, therefore, states, “…Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5).
Let us, therefore, henceforth, learn to love people but trust in God alone. This will free us from unnecessary disappointment, stress, depression and anxiety. It will help us to relate with one another better, knowing how frail we are.
By James Quansah
