Trust and Respect

Is what most of us wish other people would have for us. The Scottish poet and writer of the end of the IXX century George McDonald said: “to be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved”. In these days it is a lot harder to trust in something or someone, we see scams and lies all around us. We need lawyers to close agreements and contracts; it is not enough with our former shake of hands and giving of our word to close a deal. The same way we find harder to trust someone, other people may find difficult to trust us as well.

Some people in a leadership position demand respect and trust, but trust and respect is something we earn over a period of time. To have a name considered worthy of trust and respect is a task that can take us a long time to achieve and it is certainly a very valuable asset as the word of God tells us in Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold”

It is also true that a good name (which takes a long time to win) can be lost in an instant. The German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said: “I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you”. It often requires just a lie, “a little folly”, to lose the trust and respect that took us so much to build. God warns us about it in Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”

How can we make a name for ourselves worthy of trust and respect?

1. Be a man of your word. Keep your promises. There is nothing more discouraging and trust breaking than to see someone not keeping his or her word. God expects us to be very careful with what we offer, and that when we give our word we keep it. “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). In Psalms 15:1, 4 we read “A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? …He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

2. Watch your actions. Our actions speak louder than our words. If we are striving to live a life subject to God’s moral principles, a life of integrity and by “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”, as a result people will respect and trust us. “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour…He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. (Psalms 15:2-3, 5)We also have the admonition given by God through Peter “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (2Pedro 3:14)

3. To be respected you have to respect. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Mathew 7:12). It is going to be very difficult for someone to respect you if you do not show the same respect. Respect is shown in the way how we treat others, how we serve them, how we talk to them. “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” (1Timothy 5:1-2). We need to respect and be kind even to the people who we do not agree with; Jesus Christ set the mark very high for us, his followers, and a mark we need to be striving to achieve. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;… For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only (show respect), what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Mathew 5:44, 46-48)

Just thinking out loud...