Saturday, March 27, 2010

Topic #2 Trust

So we got a request for a post on trust. Comment about your thoughts and ideas :) Try to answer at least one of the questions. Make sure you explain your thinking, for example don't just say no I don't like salad. Say no I don't like salad because it tastes bad and sticks in my teeth. Anyways So here are some questions to discuss:

Is it easy to trust people?Why or Why not?
Should we trust people/people trust us?
Do we make it easy for people to trust us?How can we?
What does the Bible hav to say about trust?

13 comments:

Dakota Densmore said...

I find it easy to trust people, but maybe that's just because the people I've trusted have never hurt me. But if you've been betrayed by someone you trusted, you may very well find it difficult to trust.
I think that trust is very inportant, otherwise, you'll never be able to accept help from others, even if you need it, and you'll always be paranoid.
People will find it easier to trust you if you prove that you are worthy of it. For example, not telling someone's secrets, even if they're very small, being friendly, and, most importantly, trusting them. If you don't trust someone, they won't trust you.

Sunny Smith said...

Interesting thoughts....

Anyone else?

The Scotsman said...

Yeah, really, it should be obvious that it is Craig who writes with this Username. :) And I think I have my tech problems with Blogging solved now. Any-way:

My opinions are trust as follows: You have no reason not to trust some-one until they give you a reason to. I think that there are some people, by their general attitude, that you would be hesitant to trust; they are fairly easy to spot.

Trust is what relationships are built on. A Christian with-out relationships (ESPECIALLY with non-Christians) is a pretty lame Christian considering that they have no way of fulfilling the Great Commission.

There will always be instances when people break your trust. Some-times they have best intentions at heart; some-times not. A Christian, if they are as previously stated, cannot fulfill the Great Commission if they are overly cautious and let these instances get to them. Just avoid the people that are so untrustworthy that they are destructive. It is common sense.

Dakota was correct when she stated that people will trust you if you are worthy of trust. That is a very Biblical principle: Loving the neighbor as yourself. We are all force-fed in Sunday school that you should be the friend you want other s to be to you. Having that kind of trust, and willing to go the extra mile to help out others is the perfect practical example of that principle.

Destiny Diddlesworth said...

It is easy to trust people who are your friends or who you know well, because you probably have learned about them and know they stick to their word. We should trust people who are friends but we shouldn't trust some random dude/girl. I think that people should trust us, especially when we talk about Christianity because we KNOW what we are talking about. I try to make it easy for people to trust me. I usually just try to be polite and genuine because I don't want people to think that I am rude or if I am mean, they may think that they can't trust me because I might tell their secret(s).

Destiny Diddlesworth said...

and yes, when I said I knew who The Scotsman was, it WAS quite obvious! ;P

Anonymous said...

heyyy craig. and whoever else is there. :P
this is sam.

Is it not possible for people to trust you, even though you may not trust them?

"If you don't trust someone, they won't trust you."

I would disagree. There's relationships in life that aren't equal. You'll probably trust some people more than they trust you (if at all) and vice versa. It doesn't have to be give and take. ("I'll tell you this if you tell me that." Then I know I can trust you.)

What happens when you're forced to trust someone untrustworthy? You can't just avoid untrustworthy people for an entire life. it happens.

i think we take our secrets and the drama of our lives too seriously sometimes... a lot of the time...

The Scotsman said...

Welcome back to the fold Sam, and from Ecuador of all places!

Well, quite frankly, we really should not have secrets; we should be entirely honest. and part of being a friend and a trusting friend to others is to teach them to not hold secrets. That is a long process, and so while you work on that, it is out of respect that you will keep people's secrets for them if that is for the better. Secrets are pretty situational. In most cases, I find they are pretty inconsequential.

"If you don't trust someone, they won't trust you."

They may or may not trust you if you trust them: But prove yourself to be worthy of another trusting you and it will take a heart so hard indeed to reject that. Give-and-take is not what I was trying to say at all. The point is trust is what should be given unconditionally; distrust needs good reason.

You are also never 'forced' to trust some-one. EVER. You might have to work with people and force to succumb to their judgement if you have no idea what to do. But that does not mean you trust them.

"I think we take our secrets and the drama of our lives to seriously sometimes... a lot of the time..."

You think? We are told to. It is good that you recognize that, Sam. I hope and, perhaps humorously, trust that most of the people who write here/look here do as well.

Hm, dealing with drama would be a great new discussion topic. Powers-that-be, can you file that one? :)

Destiny Diddlesworth said...

Sam? Like Sam from Church!! HEYY!! :D

Dakota Densmore said...

So, to summerize, we need to trust people, even tho it isn't alwys easy, but we should still be careful of just how much we trust certain people. People will hurt us sometimes, but that shouldn't stop us. Is that about right?

Sunny Smith said...

I came across something that is most interesting. Here goes:

Jeremiah 17:5 (New International Version)

5 This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD."

In my humble opinion, I think the verse is saying that we shouldn't trust man more than God.

Yes, we do need trust to make our relationships work and yes, we need to give it to recieve it.

"Distrust needs good reason"
Yes it does, but aren't we called to forgive?

So yaaa I think that's about it for now...

The Scotsman said...

@ Dakota: Yes, basically.

@ Sunny: We are called to forgive. I remember having a very interesting conversation with some-one from our congregation (I cannot remember who) about this, and this is what he had to say (paraphrased): Basically, forgiveness should be your instinctive reaction. Let them have a go again. But, say, someone is very consistently untrustworthy in the same manner - then clearly you cannot trust the person over that matter. You probably should have a little talk with them instead. If they seem undesirous of repentance, well, then there is nothing more you can do; it is between them and God. If you notice a change in behavior, then you can test to see if they are now trustworthy in that manner. It is all really common sense.

The process I think is applicable to any sinful act.

Sunny Smith said...

While one is "waiting" for a person to become trustworthy, as christ followers it's our job to pray hard for them and their growth:)

Sunny Smith said...

Sorry I forgot to use a capital on Christ:) I'll just clear that up and give him the respect he deserves.