17 July | Youth
«Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. […] Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.» Jeremiah 17:5, 7
If life were limited just to the first part of the text of Jeremiah 17:5 (“cursed is the man who trusts in man”), honestly, the world would be an impossible place to live. What would marriage be like if you could not trust your spouse? If there is no trust between employer and employee there is no way that partnership will work. If we take this text out of context, social relations become impractical.
It is true that we live in an environment of insecurity and uncertainty. There was a time when man's words were enough. Ask your grandparents, and they will tell you about a time when business was done by writing down your debts in a notebook. This is no longer the case in the modern, technological and secularized world in which we live. There are those who even distrust their own shadow.
However, trust is the only way for people to relate positively. What do you do when you trust someone? You place a piece of yourself in the other person's hands: your heart, your money, your time. You are vulnerable. When the other acts with loyalty, you discover a faithful friend.
What happens when your trust is betrayed? If the cup of trust cracks, everything is lost. It is a hard thing to hear someone say: “I don't trust him anymore!” Betrayal hurts us. When we choose to trust, we take risks.
The gospel places before us a great challenge when we are betrayed. It is called forgiveness. For this reason, I invite you to see today's verse from another perspective. If the other person is subject to error, so am I. The other person can make mistakes, and so can I. In this respect, we can say that we are all on the same level.
Be a trustworthy person. Decide to keep your promises. If more people are willing to do this, there will be room for trust to flourish. In today's verse, Jeremiah teaches that God is the only one who will never betray your trust! You can trust Him without fear. He will never disappoint you.