Can You Trust Me?

“My soul wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.”
Psalm 62:5

If you are looking for reasons not to trust me, I can certainly provide you with several! The folly of such trust is universal in the human race. This theme permeates Scripture: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man,” “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation,” and “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?”

Despite the reasons not to trust, the foundation of any relationship is trust, including institutional relationships.  Prominent researchers in leadership and organizational development describe the impact of trust. “The first job of any leader is to inspire trust. Trust is confidence born of two dimensions: character and competence. Character includes your integrity, motive, and intent with people. Competence includes your capabilities, skills, results, and track record. Both dimensions are vital.” (Stephen Covey) “Credibility is the foundation of leadership. Constituents must be able, above all else, to believe in their leaders. For them to willingly follow someone else, they must believe that the leader’s word can be trusted, that she is personally passionate and enthusiastic about the work, and that she has the knowledge and skill to lead.” (Barry Posner and James Kouzes) To trust or not to trust; how do we reconcile such a contradiction?

The Best Christian Workplaces Institute addresses the issue of institutional trust in a July 2010 blog, A Biblical Model for Organizational Values. The source of trustworthiness can be found in Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Here is where the organizational researchers discovered the Biblical truth of competence and character in building trust: doing justly promotes right actions and loving mercy connects with character. A humble or dependent walk with God becomes the foundation upon which trust is built.

So, can you trust me? I personally would not recommend it. I can confidently and without reservation declare that you can trust the God I serve. The One for whom my soul waits silently will meet my expectations and is worthy of my (and your) trust. You can trust Him!!