This application column is a companion piece for this week’s Lookout Bible Lesson, “Warning for Liars” (Jeremiah 28:1-17), by Mark Scott.
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By David Faust
A voter shakes his head in disgust while listening to a political debate. Neither candidate impresses him. “I don’t believe a word they say,” he mutters to himself.
A married man flirts with a woman at his workplace and their emotional connection grows into a sexual encounter. After his wife confronts him, the man is ashamed and repentant. He ends the affair, and after months of counseling, he and his wife are working hard to preserve their marriage.
After a series of poorly handled layoffs, a company’s employees suffer low morale and worry about their job security.
A church’s longtime senior minister retires, and the congregation faces a time of uncertainty as a new, younger preacher steps in.
What do these situations have in common? In each case, trust is low and needs to be rebuilt.
BUILDING TRUST
Our culture suffers from a bad case of truth decay. Lies are corrosive, and trust is vital to healthy relationships. For a marriage to work well, a husband and wife must be honest with each other. Morale breaks down when followers can’t count on the integrity, competence, and good intentions of those in charge. Society suffers when government officials, company executives, and church leaders become embroiled in scandals. The result is “trust rust”—an erosion of confidence that eats away at our culture like rust ruins a car or metal tools corrode when left out in the rain.
Here are five things that weaken trust and five things that strengthen it.
1. Inconsistency weakens trust, but faithfulness increases it. It’s difficult to trust someone who says one thing but does another, or who acts one way in public but behaves differently in private. Rather than being erratic and unpredictable, trustworthy individuals consistently fulfill their promises and keep their word even in small matters.
2. Self-centeredness erodes trust, but unselfishness builds it. Most of us have “phonydetectors” in our hearts, and we can tell if someone really cares. Suspicion grows when we sense others are pursuing personal gain more so than the well-being of others. Unselfish service generates trust.
3. Defensiveness and secretiveness harm trust, while transparency and accountability improve it. Trust rusts when individuals shift blame and refuse to acknowledge their weaknesses and failures. Trust grows when we admit our mistakes and accept responsibility for our decisions and actions.
4. Unclear moral standards erode trust, but firm commitment to biblical principles builds it. Truth frees people; lies confuse and enslave. The ethical guardrails found in Scripture can keep us on the right road. If we want to have healthy, trusting relationships in the home, church, and workplace, we must pursue what is right in the Lord’s eyes, not merely what is comfortable and convenient.
5. Impatience damages trust, but patience enhances it. Damaged trust can be rebuilt, but the rebuilding process takes time and cannot be rushed.
In 1921, a sea captain named Robert Fergusson noticed that fish oil prevented rust from forming on his ship’s metal deck. Working with a chemist, Fergusson developed one of the world’s first rust-preventive paints. His discovery led to the beginning of a company we know as Rust-Oleum.
Thankfully, there is a solution for “trust rust.” The Bible tells us the remedy: “Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25).
Personal Challenge: Using David’s prayer recorded in Psalm 139:23-24, ask the Lord to search your heart and unveil any lies you have been believing, telling, or living. Personalize Jesus’ prayer recorded in John 17:17 and tell the Lord, “Sanctify me by the truth; your Word is truth. Make me a person who believes, tells, and lives the truth.”
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