Test Before Trust

One of the greatest challenges of human existence is the dynamics connected to human relationships. We tend to trust quickly and many times pay a painful price for bestowing upon others the honour of our trust.

It was president Ronald Regan who popularized the statement "trust but verify".

The failure of human relationship is many times the fact that we do not test people before they get into our circles.

A remarkable attribute of the eagle is the fact that it does not trust until it tests. Whenever any male eagle expresses an interest in pursuing a relationship it does not easily gain the privilege of trust without being tested. The female eagle will take a twig and fly to various heights dropping the twig. That pursuing mate must seek to catch that twig before it touches the ground. If it catches that twig repeatedly then it has earned the right to be trusted. The main reason is that eagles have a mate for life and that partner must be able to catch the most precious thing that they will share, which is a young one.

We have all made the mistake in life of trusting too quickly or expeditiously, because we tend to form relationships around our immediate need and not our future ambitions. Friends are not necessarily for when times are good but they are proven in tough times.

Can you trust those in your inner circle to be there when you need them most?

Proverbs 17:17 says "a friend loves at all times". The old proverb says that a friend in need is a friend in deed.

Focus

You owe it to yourself today to choose and prove those in your circle. It's your right.

Test before you trust.

Prayer

Father we thank you. We thank you God for the ability to trust, but we thank you for the wisdom to test. I pray in the name of Jesus that we would not seek to go after relationships quickly and trust too quickly. But God that we would use the wisdom you have given us today to test individuals before we trust them. May you give us the wisdom required. May you give us the strength required to make the choices in life as it concerns relationships. We bless you for this today in Jesus’ Amen.