Is It Too Easy to Trust?

Trust is a word that's used a lot in the Bible. It's used a lot by followers of Y'shua. It's used by a lot of people in terms of God. But it's an easy word to use...too easy.

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me," Y'shua says (John 14.1)

In business, we also talk a lot about trust. One wag said we trust the brake mechanic we don't know more than we trust the person who works with us or for us, whom we do know. Trust is described as having several dimensions:

• Competency
• Reliability/dependability
• Approachability/acceptance (I don't trust people I can't approach or who don't like me)
• Integrity/honesty

In groups, I ask, "Do I really trust God in all those dimensions? Can I say whole-heartedly that God is competent? That He's dependable and shows up when He says He will? That He likes me for who I am and with whom I can share my secrets and shame? That He will do what He says He'll do and His values haven't changed?"

When I taught the book of James, it seems those are the questions James, the brother of Y'shua, challenges us with. He seems to say, "If you really believe _____, then you can count trials, suffering and tests with joy. If you really believe _____, then you will ask God for wisdom. If you really believe _____, you will recognize the good that comes from God our Father. If you really believe _____, it will be reflected in your actions--like curbing your tongue and through good works--and not just be a faith that's spoken..."

If I'm not living out the faith as shown in James' letter, then there may be some aspect of trusting God that isn't 100 percent. There may be something that I don't really, really believe in my heart and so hold back protecting myself.

How about you? How much do you rely on God's trustworthiness--His competence, His reliability, His approachability, His integrity? And how much are you relying on wealth, family, friends, fame, etc. to meet your needs and solve your problems?

Married, Adopted, Ambassador

"We live in such a way..."

I had mused on this verse a while ago. I often relate it to one of the Ten Commandments about not taking God's name in vain. What does it mean to take someone else's name?

When does it happen mostly in our world? Often we take another person's name when women get married in Western societies. Also, when a person is adopted, he/she takes the last name of the adopting parents. Isn't that what scripture says about us? The church is called the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5.27). When Jacob's faith became his own and he wrestled with God, he got a new name Isra-El (God persists, contends, strives--Gen. 32.28). He took on God's name.

If a person was to take on another person's name and be unfaithful in marriage, he/she would bring dishonor to the name. If an adoptee lives in  such way as to bring shame on a family, the parents might rue the day they allowed the person to be called by their name.

Another aspect of taking someone's name is identity theft.  And we are called Christian (little Christ), carrying His Name throughout our families, our neighborhood, our community, our workplace, our church, our world. We are His ambassadors saying what He would say, doing what He would do...right? "We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry." (2 Corinthians 6.3)

Do not [adopt] the LORD's name in vain for the LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse His Name (Exodus 20.7).