Who Do You Trust?

Are you a cynic or a push over? Living life with flawed humans can push you toward cynicism that’s for sure. A broken promise, a relationship marred by deceit, a no-show at an important time, maybe even a theft of ideas or property can make it difficult to trust others. It can be all the more hurtful if you have had your trust betrayed by a friend. Don’t most marriages start out as two friends joining together? Don’t you have to put faith in your business to give your best? Aren’t we supposed to believe the pastor at our church has our best interest at heart? Live long enough and you will experience betrayal by someone you trusted.

This can be especially true in the business world, even a Christian business. Some people fail us just because they are human and make mistakes. Others will fail purposely.

It’s difficult enough when someone deceives because of lack of integrity but we manage to get over it quicker than when it’s a trusted friend. The hurt stays with us much longer and goes much deeper. It could be the broken agreement you entered into because you trusted. It could be the person you nursed to health that is no where to be found during your difficulties. It can be the woman in the next cube that you have coached through the past year has gossiped about you. The guy you play ball with at noon once a week who talked negative behind your back to the boss. These are the betrayed trusts that hurt the most.

We can’t stop others from betraying our trust. You can learn and then you must forgive. Forgiving is a commandment that mirrors God’s forgiveness of our own sins. Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." Forgiving will also insure good mental health. Carrying hurt or anger will only eat away at our own well being. Allowing this to happen will bring the one betrayal into a double whammy of hurt.

You should learn from this whole process. You should learn the value of keeping your word to others at home, in business, in church, simply at all times. If you betray the trust of another unintentionally (and I will make the assumption you would not do this on purpose), you must apologize immediately and set it as right as you can.

Betraying trust in a marriage can do damage that some marriages never recover from. Betraying trust in the business world can ruin your reputation and damage your chances for advancement. Make it serious enough and it could cost you your employment and hamper getting a job in the future. As a person who supervised others, I wouldn’t give someone untrustworthy a good break. They would have to earn everything they accomplished because I was not willing to invest my time and reputation in someone with so little integrity. It is an integrity issue. Even if you betray the trust unintentionally, there was a reason. It is often you didn’t put the other person first, take time to consider the ramifications of your words or actions, or care enough. Who do you trust? Make sure the person who calls you friend can say, "It's you I trust and with good reason."