When trust is broken

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes” (Psalm 118:8-9). 

"Let each of you not look only to his own interests but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4) 

Countless verses instruct Christians to share their good fortune, help others in need, shine their light, and love one another...and to trust in the Lord with all their hearts. So how do I reconcile the two? We reach out and trust others to do something, build something, and be honest about something, but that trust is broken it is so easy to be hurt, bitter, resentful, and to feel foolish for being taken advantage of.  

We invest our time, love, energy, knowledge, and yes, money in our community in so many ways, helping others get on their feet, providing shelter for those who have no place to go, giving those in a new business venture a chance by hiring them, teaching and mentoring. In other words, reflecting Christ in all we do. And no we do not do these things for recognition, personal gain, or even appreciation; the joy is in the giving. But, we are human too. And when those we reached out to end up taking advantage of our generosity and no-strings-attached trust, it hurts. A lot. 

When people take our money and give nothing in return except for excuses and sad stories, I want to kick myself for trusting them. I feel stupid and used and foolish. When my husband trusts someone to do home repairs that he could do, but wants to give that guy a leg up, and months later we have nothing to show for it but less money in savings, I am angry. And he feels foolish. And sad. Used. Confused. I want to just give up on the human race. To not help anyone anymore. To just do it all myself and the heck with everyone's sad sack stories. To not give advice or share wisdom learned over nearly seven decades of my life. 

But that is where the trust in the Lord part comes in. I have to trust in God to make all things new and good for those who love Him. I must take refuge in the Lord when someone betrays my trust or does not follow through on their promises. Cast all my cares and anxieties on him, and believe that in the end what we do with a pure and clean heart will bring glory to God. Because when it comes right down to it, we don't do these things, help others, give of ourselves, or share our good fortune for any earthly awards, recognition, or honor. We do these things because we are of Christ and the Holy Spirit in us leads us to do good works. 

But I still feel discouraged and let down by my fellow man.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16)

Easy to read, hard to put into practice. So many times when I do good works ostensibly for the glory of God I really want the light to shine on me, for people to appreciate me. Over the years, Alex and I have weathered serious financial setbacks by trusting others. But it is not about being recognized or repaid. We do what we do (at least try, anyway) to reflect Christ. And to help wherever we can.

Light dispels darkness.