Whom Do You Trust? – Today’s Youth Devotion

Whom Do You Trust?

Bible Reading: Luke 16: 10-12

Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.   Proverbs 16:13, NIV

WHOM DO YOU trust? Of all the people in the world, there are probably only a few you would trust to hold your lunch money for you, right? And there are probably even fewer you would trust with your deepest secrets. Take a minute and jot down the names of two or three people that you could trust with your money or your secrets.

Now think about why you trust those people. Does any statement below express why you trust the people you wrote down?

• I trust them because of where they live.
• I trust them because each of them once lied to me.
• I trust them because I like them.
• I trust them because they’re kinda good looking.
• I trust them because I’ve never seen them steal anything.
• I trust them because they know all the words to “Louie Louie.”
• I trust them because they like lima beans.
• I trust them because they’ve never lied to me or cheated me.
• I trust them because they pick their noses.

Chances are, you only picked one or two of the statements above, right? Why?

Because you don’t trust someone any more or less if he or she knows all the words to “Louie Louie.” You don’t trust someone simply because he or she picks his or her nose. And you certainly don’t trust someone because he or she has lied to you before.

If those things don’t earn your trust, what does? Simple, right? You trust someone who has been honest. You trust someone who has told you the truth in the past. Because honesty invites trust. That’s one of the big advantages of obeying God’s commands to be honest. When you’re honest, you encourage other people to trust you; when you’re dishonest, you make people suspicious and distrustful of you.

One of the proverbs on Solomon says, “Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth” (Proverbs 16:13, NIV). That’s true not only of kings but of everyone. People value—and trust—those who are honest.

REFLECT: If your friends were to make a list (like the one you made today) of the people they could trust, would they include your name? Why or why not? What about your parents? teachers? other family members? Does your behavior encourage others to trust you or has it been making people distrust you? How do you know?

PRAY: “Father, I want to be trusted by my friends, parents, teachers, and others. Help me to earn their trust by my honest words and honest behavior.”