Isaiah 26:1-7: “In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; we have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.2: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation, which keepeth the truth may enter in.3: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.4: Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. 5: For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.6: The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.7: The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.
One of the greatest weakness and folly of man is placing their trust in a fellow human. Yes! In every relationship trust is essential, but life is wired in such a way that nothing is ever permanent.
When Christians forget God’s warning concerning the spiritual anatomy of the human heart they become deceived, disappointed, diverted from pursuing and investing in the right course to wasting time, wasting resources and misusing personality. You know when dealing with the human heart we are only permitted to know what we are allowed to know —either perceive, see, hearor discern. J. K Rowling said: “Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.”
The Bible in dealing on trust said through the prophetic declaration of Jeremiah:
“Thus says the Lord, “cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings,” (Jeremiah 17:5-10).
Oxford defines trust to mean: “firm belief in the reliability, truth or ability of someone or something.” One American Minister and author once said: “You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don’t trust enough,” Frank Crane.
Our anchor text and a portion from the New Testament (John 4) carries with it the importance of trusting in God rather than in man. In the N.T. Jesus warned against putting trust in your own peopleto believe in you or promote your good endowments. He warned against a prophet thinking that his own people will believe in the power, gift or grace bestowed upon him. Whoever does that might be making a mistake because a prophet has no honour in his own country, (John 4:44). This is a proven fact even in Jesus’ ministry; for even His own kinsmen did not believe in him and by that they denied themselves of God’s blessings.
In the same Bible portion we saw a nobleman who might have used his connection and wealth to aid his son’s healing, but could not until he met Jesus. When he saw Jesus, he followed Jesus, believed in Jesus and got his son healed. These Bible truthspoint out the importance of trusting in God rather than man.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (New King James Version) writes: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge Him,and He shall direct your paths.”While the Psalmist in chapter 118: 8,wrote: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”Beloved of God; do not fall into the temptation of putting confidence in what God created and called it man.
People change with time and time changes people: sometimes they are changed because of position, power, possession, pride and promises made to them.
The story of the household of Saul and a servant called Ziba is a trust lesson on the marble. Reading through 2Samuel 9 and 16 you will appreciate it when the Bible says:“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord,”(Jeremiah 17:5). Sometimes people’s presentation, promises and presents could make them drift from either trusting God wholeheartedly or believing in man wholeheatedly.
Reading through the story you will see that King Saulbelieved so much in Ziba that he hired him as his servant, made him part of his household, I guess even gave him certain rights, trainingand empowerment. Ziba was possibly entrusted and saddled with the responsibility of administering the estate of King Saul and his family. The story shows that Ziba was more of an administrator than a warrior.
1Samuel 31:2 says: “And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.” In 2 Samuel 9:3 David enquired to know if Saul was having any surviving son and Ziba said that Jonathan has yet a son, which is crippled on his feet. So, it is possible that at the death of King Saul and all his sons that Zibamay have taken over the day-to-day administration of Saul’s estateto the extent of having his own servants under him.Saul would have believed that in case of any eventuality that Ziba would protect, preserveand properly administer his estate that his family and dependentswould not suffer. But the Bible is true when it is says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”Jeremiah 17:9.
Playing according to the tune of a depraved, unsanctified heart,Ziba ignored the prince who got wounded at news of the father, grandfather, and uncles’ death. He ignored this poor child to the extent that the prince got crippled. The only surviving son of Jonathan; the grandson of his master got wounded and crippled and Ziba never cared to help. Rather he horded the treasury of Saul’ household to his own advantage. Ziba’s action is a warning to everyone to be aware of putting your trust in man.
Ask Yourself this?
• Who do you run to when in need?
• Who do you talk to when you are emotionally down?
• Who do you commit your task, and responsibility to?
• Who do you look up to?
• Who do you share your ‘deepest’ secret with?
The word of God is clear in Matthew 10:36, when it says: “And a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” Even your own household cannot be trusted if the devil takes over them. Therefore Trust in God.
A woman had an only son who was her consolation when she lost her other sons at a very early age. She cared for him until he was admitted to study in a university. With great determination she sold their only land to send him to school. The child with outstanding distinction, went for his youth service, and got a job with a very reputable oil company with so many mouthwatering benefits. With great excitement,he called the mother and shared the good news; the women felt relieved that her years of suffering was not in vainand she can now enjoy the fruit of her labour.
In a painful twist,a drunk driverknocked down the young man on his way home and before he could be takento the hospital he passed away. What a shattered hope!
Know This And Know Peace:
•Sometimes people fail you not because they want to, therefore never expect too much from anybody.
• Remember all men are flesh and are like vapour that vanishes.
• Even the best of men make mistakes.
Trust Only In God And In God Alone, Who Does Not Change
• For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed (Malachi 3:6).
• Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17).
The fact that this our God can be trusted saddles us with the responsibility of living a life that should be trusted. At conversion every child of God is given the Holy spirit. That act ofregeneration makes them representatives of God,as God’s children, therefore, they must present themselves trustworthy in all conversation.
• When people comes to you, trusting that you represent God; don’t betray them.
• When the Church saddles you with a position of power and trust don’t fail them.
•When the community trust you with something don’t make them regret their action.
Conclusion:It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man (Psalm 118:8).
The word man here stands for anyone who is not regenerated, anyone still carrying living and alienated life, anyone whose mind is still darkened and morally depraved.Therefore, trust in the Lord, acknowledge him, and He will never disappoint you. Again, I say unto you: trust in the Lord with all your heart,and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge Him,and He shall direct your paths,” (Proverbs3:5-6).
• Ven. Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector, Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor
