God Is Trustworthy - Day 5

I don't know about you, but Kennedy Smartt has influenced my life.  If you have been around our church very long or moved to this area recently, you probably have met Kennedy.  He has then: asked if you have found a home church, asked you to be a Mentor in the school system, and has hounded you, no---I mean challenged--no, I mean ENCOURAGED you to give blood with LifeSouth...  He is pretty determined that CMPC folks will be involved with the people in our community--that we will spend time talking with their children and bleed regularly for their benefit.

Last Wed was a banner day in Kennedy's honor as I met with my mentees and then drove over to CMPC and was stuck in the arm by the LifeSouth folks.  So what does this have to do with the devotion topic this week?  Good question...

When I think of trustworthy, I first think of trust.  In raising our kids, Bruce and I talk about "earning trust" and "losing trust".  Trust is earned over time by keeping promises, accepting responsibility, proving faithful to expectations, etc.  Hopefully our children see this being modeled by our relationship.  As we trust our children more, we feel they are becoming trustworthy and so allow them increasing privileges or freedoms.  (Interestingly, when our children see that they can trust us more, they feel that we are becoming trustworthy...hmm)

When I mentor, it is essential that my Mentee trust me.  If they don't trust me, they won't be real with me and let me into their life.  From day one they know that I am there for their benefit.  I am not paid to meet with them and they are not forced to meet with me.  It is confidential between me and her except--and this is told very clearly--if she tells me about something that might endanger her or someone else...  

Every year I wonder how it will go.  Every year I worry less and anticipate more.  I am amazed that these young ladies have asked to meet with me, they have received permission from their parents, they protect the time, and they trust me with things very close to their hearts.  Strangely enough, they let me not only listen but respond and even challenge them.  By consistently being there for them each week my mentees see me as someone they can trust.  

Trust.  Blood.  Lifesouth.  OK, I do trust the folks in the Lifesouth bus.  So far, they have stuck me in the appropriate place in my arm, given me good cookies (nutter butters rule) and juice, and left me with enough blood to walk out.  However, my trust in them is limited (they may only have my blood and only a certain amount at a time) and my trust would diminish quickly if their performance goes south (pun intended)...

In relationships with people trust is earned.  It is possible to be worthy of a great deal of trust.  But like my experience with the LifeSouth folks, usually when we trust people, we trust them in certain / limited /specific ways.  My mentees should never trust my ideas in algebra...and our LifeSouth friends really may not be the best ones to go to for marital counseling...  

Thankfully, God is the definition of trustworthy.  His words caused Creation.  His words breathed life.  As the Author and Finisher, He is totally Trustworthy.  As the only being without sin, He has our Trust forever.  He is unable to be untrustworthy.  We can trust His character.  We can trust His answers to our prayers even when we don't understand the answers.  We can trust that His love for us never fails.  He knows our conversations, what is voiced and what remains merely thoughts...and He loves us still.   We can trust Him completely because He alone is completely worthy.