Those who study trust view two extremes: (1) Some people don’t trust enough, because they are suspicious; and (2) some people are too trusting, even gullible, because they are naive.
How then do we master the risks of trust? We need to realize that trust is a currency—the fulcrum of our future. Our future hinges upon our trust—first, in God, but also in one another.
I believe three things are important in our quest to develop trust: truth, time, and tests.
Truth
Truth is more than just telling the truth. Trust requires us to live the truth and leave the right impression. There is no place for spin, tricks, or games among believers. These are the deceptive ways of the world.
The Bible gives us explicit instruction as to how Christians are to conduct themselves. “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another” (Eph. 4:25, NASB). As we speak the truth to one another in love, we create an atmosphere of communication that helps to develop trust.
Time
Trust is not an inherent right. People will not trust a person because of the office or position he or she holds. Trust must be earned, and that takes time.
Most fathers have had this experience. When the little one is about a year old, he can be placed on a counter top and coaxed to jump into the father’s arms. After he has jumped that short distance and realized that he has been safely caught, it is okay for the father to move back a step or two. After a few times of playing this game the child is clamoring “Catch me, Daddy!,” quite willing to jump much farther. It is just a matter of time and experience.
Tests
Trust is earned during our times of testing. Tests will come. They are a part of life. The trust level goes up when tests are passed.
At times, it is difficult to do what is right, but during times of duress we are required to make tough calls. In 1982, seven people died from taking Tylenol that had been maliciously tainted with cyanide. The company took responsibility, immediately alerting consumers to stop using Tylenol until they could determine the extent of the tampering. More than 31 million bottles of Tylenol, valued at more than $100 million, were recalled. Johnson & Johnson offered a reward of $100,000 for information about the person who had tampered with the product. When they brought Tylenol back to the market, it had new triple-seal, tamper-resistant packaging. Their wise handling of the incident brought them renewed trust and credibility.
When we do the right thing, we will increase our credibility and trust level.
Archived materials
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Roundtable with
G. Dennis McGuire (General Overseer), Raymond Culpepper (Assistant General Overseer), Paul Walker (Secretary General), Jerry Madden (Pastor, Praise Cathedral, Greer, S.C.) and Mitch Maloney, (Pastor of the North Cleveland Church of God, Cleveland, TN.)
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