Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot. Proverbs 25:19 (NLT)
Have you ever trusted someone, only to regret it later?
It’s happened to us all. We want to believe that people are trustworthy, and all too often we hand over our trust too quickly. Part of the problem is that we confuse love and trust. As believers, we’re told to love and accept others unconditionally, but if we package trust in with these two, it gets us in trouble every time.
You see, trust must always be earned. It’s not something you just give away; it’s built over time and is not based on what people say they will do, but on what they actually do.
Yesterday we began a series covering wisdom for relationships from the book of Proverbs, and today’s verse is a gem. It’s saying that if we rely on people who haven’t earned our trust, it’s going to cause us pain. In fact, the thought of it makes me cringe, much like the thought of chewing on a broken tooth or stepping on a broken foot!
You may have these types of people in your life, and as a believer you are still encouraged to extend them love, acceptance and forgiveness. However, in no way should you rely on them. If you do, it’s like you’re chewing down on that broken tooth; there’s going to be pain involved because they’re going to let you down.
There’s nothing wrong with reserving your trust for those who have earned it. Take your time before you trust. If you require people to build a track record of trustworthy behaviour before you rely on them, that’s wisdom!