Misplaced Trust

Much has been said about covenant relationships among believers. We are reminded of David and Jonathan, Paul and Barnabas and others.  Some have taught this covenant principle to the point of trusting others to the point of death.  This sounds noble and conjures up scenes of a Navy Seal episode, but is the concept to trust another person to the point of death really Biblical?  My first thought as I write this is that even with Paul and Barnabas they actually split up with strong disagreement.  Two deeply committed men of God who were filled with the Holy Spirit had their bond tested and divided.  Before I proceed along these lines I must say that I am not writing this out of bitterness or disappointment from some past experiences.  Rather than leading you to distrust those around you I am seeking to motivate you to place your trust correctly and in the right direction.  

Because I was taught to build relationships with developing leaders to the point of covenant, that would make you think it involves total trust.  That total trust in any man will almost always lead to disappointment.  Any person on this planet has days of loyalty and days of failure.  We all have within ourselves a breaking point, a point of breaking trust.  I remember starting a church in a certain city once and one man in particular stood out as my greatest supporter.  From his words I was the greatest preacher he had ever heard and ready to become a superstar in the church world.  I trusted him so much that I asked him to be the treasurer for our newly formed church.  This particular church was in a town down the road from my home and my home church.  After a few months this man became disillusioned by my performance for some reason that I can't remember.  He left the church and no money was left in the treasury!  I had trusted him unconditionally.  The Bible calls us to love unconditionally but it does not teach us to trust man unconditionally.  Trusting man without limitation is "misplaced trust."  You can't trust any man, including this writer, unconditionally.  Trust is measured by the level of the Lordship of Jesus in the life.  And that unfortunately can be a moving target based on the day that you test it.  

Psalm 118:8 tells us, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”  Isaiah says it this way, “Both he who helps will fall, and he who is helped will fall down…”  None of us has the ability to stand on our own.  Then Jeremiah drives it home.Jeremiah 17:5 and 7,  “Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD…’”  That is very interesting and enlightening.  Two words stand out here.  "Trust and hope."  The problem with trust is when we place it in someone we also attach hope with it.  Then, when a person fails us we also lose our hope.  When we lose hope we are in a real mess.  Lack of hope brings personal implosion.  There is a "curse and blessing" in this verse.  The curse comes from trusting man and the blessing always comes from trusting completely only the Lord!  Many churches have as their motto these days, "Love God, Love Man!"  That is a good general visionary thought.  But don't take that to the point of "Trust God, Trust Man."  God will NEVER fail you!  Man will fail you.  As you read this you may be thinking of someone that you trusted without reservation.  You may still feel the sting of their failure, their betrayal.  As you enter this new year it is time to forgive and release them.  You expected too much from them from the beginning   You misplaced your trust in a mere mortal when only God can fulfill that trust.  After you forgive them then face this coming year with unconditional love in your heart but measured trust in man.  Clint Eastwood said, "A Man's Got to Know his Limitations!"  We all have ours!