Who Do You Trust

In whom or what to do you trust? It’s not a hard question; take a look at your checkbook, take a look at your schedule and take a look at your friends. It doesn’t take a smart person to figure it out, only an honest one.

Psalm 62:8-10 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them. (NKJV)

The Christian life is a pretty simple one. It boils down to trust in God. So it makes sense that our flesh and Satan are constantly trying to get us to trust in something other than God. The Bible warns us of some of the things we are tempted to trust in. Let’s look at a few:

Psalm 62:9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. (NKJV)

Who are men of low degree? By the world’s standard they’re just common guys like you and me. We’re not very important, not very influential and not really anyone that the world holds up in admiration or esteem. We are like a vapor, a breath of mist that appears for a short time and disappears.

James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (NKJV)

We will come and go and quickly be forgotten. That is just the reality of finite existence in a temporal, sin-cursed world. Given that fact, we should never put our trust in men of low degree. Okay, that one is easy, but what about men of high degree?

What about trusting someone who is super successful? Or extremely wise? What about putting my trust in the world-famous Christian personality who seems to have a direct line to God? What about putting my trust in someone who is very powerful, and has the resources to “control” everything around them?

“Men of high degree are a lie…”

What does that mean? It means that no matter how powerful or wise or successful a man is, that “high degree” is still nothing more than a mask that covers a weak, simple and finite human being. We fellow mortal humans beings are easily fooled into thinking that men of high degree are somehow more than what they really are. But all people, even the mightiest and most powerful are but frail nothingness compared to God.

“Men of high degree are a lie” because in reality there is no such thing as a man of high degree. The “highest” man is still nothing more than a vapor that appears for a while and vanishes away just like the “lowest” man. This reality should keep us humble, and keep us from ever exalting ourselves above the “lowliest” person we ever encounter.

“Do not trust in oppression…”

So there are no men in whom we should place our trust because men are fleeting vapors. Then maybe we should just trust in ourselves and set out to get what’s ours while the getting is good. Since every man is like a vapor and not all that important, we should just run over everyone who gets our way and trust in our own strength.

Oppression is the unjust or cruel exercise of ability, authority or power. We see a lot of that today, not only from those in authority but from the strong oppressing the weak. It is the “run over anyone who gets in your way” mentality of success which is championed today as a sign of strength. Never let anyone stand in your way!

This attitude places a person’s trust not in God but in his own ability to achieve at all costs. It is the idea that if you can climb high enough, or push everyone around you down low enough, then you will end at the top. While we can give many scriptural reasons to show this as a sinful approach, let’s look at one verse that is proof enough:

Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (NKJV)

If you treat people badly, especially for personal gain, it will come back to get you in the end. How many times so-called successful people end up lonely and neglected on their deathbed because their success was achieved through oppression of others.

“Nor vainly hope in robbery…”

This is the idea that if you can’t get what you want, just take it. With this approach, whom are you trusting? Once again, you are trusting in yourself. You might be thinking, “well who in the world would put their trust in robbery?” History is full of dictators, governments, business owners and “respectable” men who have placed their trust in robbery, either by simply taking what does not belong to them, or by withholding what they have that should have given to others.

Don’t be naïve, robbery is not just the criminal who takes your wallet at gunpoint. It’s the politician who votes your money out of your pocket; it’s the dictator who confiscates your possessions; it’s the businessman who doesn’t pay a fair wage or withholds money that is owed; and it’s every other person who takes, keeps or withholds money that rightfully belongs to someone else, whether done through deception, loopholes, legal trickery or just plain old greediness.

Lots and lots and lots of people get wealthy this way. On the surface it seems silly that people would put their “hope in robbery” but in reality multitudes do it every day. Again, this is placing your trust in something other than God.

“If riches increase, do not set your heart on them…”

Whether gained by honest effort, oppression or robbery, we should not put our trust in riches.

Do not set your heart on them. What does that mean? It means don’t let your life focus on money… obtaining it, securing it, amassing it and wielding it. As wealth increases so does comfort, security and opportunity. It is very easy to begin to put your trust and money.

Matthew 19:23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (NKJV)

Jesus understood the dangers and traps that come with wealth. The wise, prudent and cautious Christian will recognize these dangers and consecrate all of his material possessions to the Lord. By dedicating everything you have to the Lord, asking what He would have you to do with it, the man who has been blessed materially places his trust in God and not in money.

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You cannot trust men no matter what their status. You cannot trust in your ability to run over people to get what you want. You cannot trust in your own effort simply to take what you want. And even if you do obtain riches by whatever method, it is foolhardy to place your trust in them.

So where should our trust be placed? I thought you’d never ask…

Psalm 62:5-8 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. (NKJV)

There is only one who is trustworthy. Only one thing, one person, one object who deserves to be trusted… and that of course is God.

When men fail you, when your own efforts fail you and when your riches fail you… turn and wait silently for God. He is your Rock and Salvation; He is your Defense and you will never go wrong trusting Him. Trust in God at all times and pour out your heart to Him. He will never fail you, never leave you, never forsake you. God alone is worthy of our trust..

Lord, Help us to learn to trust You and You alone. Give us wisdom and discernment to evaluate honestly where our trust lies, and power to change when our trust is not totally in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.