Removing Trust Rust
Dave Faust
My eyes will be on the faithful in the land (Psalm 101:6).
Faithfulness has always been one of the most important qualities of an effective leader, but trust is in short supply these days. Whatever happened to the time-honored concept of "fiduciary responsibility"? Leaders are entrusted with their followers' confidence and have a solemn duty to put the public good above their own self-interest.
It's sad to see trust rusting away, corroded by disappointment and cynicism. How can we trust our nation's political leaders when so many of them have failed to keep their promises? How can we trust our economic power brokers when even billion-dollar bailouts can't fix our nation's debt problems? The erosion of trust has taken a toll on the church as well, with far too many congregations engulfed by embarrassing scandals and public moral failures.
God doesn't call us to be gullible, but discerning. The Bible says, "Respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work." But the same chapter also urges, "Test everything. Hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13, 21, 22). A wise adage says, "Trust—but verify." What kind of leaders should we follow, and what kind of leaders should we strive to become?
A faithful leader has pure motives. God told Moses to select as leaders "trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain" (Exodus 18:21).
A faithful leader earns the confidence of others. Nehemiah appointed four men to collect and distribute the tithes given by the Jews "because these men were considered trustworthy" (Nehemiah 13:13).
A faithful leader is careful with confidential information. "A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret" (Proverbs 11:13).
A faithful leader encourages others by speaking timely truth. "Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters" (Proverbs 25:13).
A faithful leader earns the respect of his neighbors and coworkers. Daniel's conduct as a government leader was above reproach. Even his political enemies "could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent" (Daniel 6:4).
A faithful leader demonstrates integrity in small matters. Jesus observed, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much" (Luke 16:10).
A faithful leader fulfills his role as a steward—a caretaker of people and possessions that belong to God. "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).
A faithful leader conforms his beliefs and teachings to God's revealed truth. "He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" (Titus 1:9).
A faithful leader inspires others by his consistent example. "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).
Only one leader, though, deserves our highest level of trust. There's nothing corrupt about him. He always keeps his promises, never makes a mistake in judgment, always acts with a perfect balance of wisdom and justice, truth and grace. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:7)—for ultimately there is nowhere else to turn.
This column first appeared in The Lookout on Mar 1, 2009.
Remembering Michael Mack
Like so many others, I was saddened last August to hear about the sudden death of *Christian Standard’s* editor, Michael Mack. When Mike was a seminary student and engaged to be married, Candy and I had him and Heidi over to our house to talk about marriage and ministry. Years later, Mike did free-lance work for *The Lookout* magazine when I served as editor. I respected his attention to detail, his expertise in leading small groups, and his earnest love for God.
Renew Your Strength
God’s capacity to get things done far surpasses ours. We use pre-existing items to construct buildings and generate works of art, but he created the universe out of nothing. We spend years and thousands of dollars getting an education, while the Lord remains calmly all-knowing. We rush around in cars and planes, but he is omnipresent, unlimited by time and space. We spend roughly one-third of our lives sleeping, but the Lord never grows tired. “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).