“C’mon, man. You can trust ME.”
You’ve probably heard those words a time or two, haven’t you? “Trust me”.
Whether spoken by a fast talking used car salesman, a slick politician, or a guy who is trying to put the moves on some unsuspecting chick, words which should carry some of the greatest worth are deemed trite and meaningless.
Has something happened to the English language?
No. Just to the human experience.
“Trust me” used to mean, “You can take me at my word. Whatever I say, that will I do. Nothing will keep me from honoring my word. For my word is my bond, and if necessary, I will swear to my own hurt to make sure my word is fulfilled.”
It USED to be, when a person made a deal with someone, they would shake hands; a picture of ‘cutting a blood covenant’ with each other. The handshake signified to each person the seriousness of their solemn oath. They each knew the underlying message to the other was “you can trust me”.
There were far less written contracts needed, or used.
But these days, contracts aren’t even worth the paper they’re printed on.
Why?
Because people, many people, don’t find anything wrong with saying one thing and doing another. Whether it’s a university basketball coach, or a marriage partner; the oath and the contract holds very little value.
And I’ve discovered something. Those who don’t see the value in keeping their word are the very ones who have a difficult time trusting someone else.
Now here we are, a nation preparing to elect a new president. Each candidate is trying to gain our trust. They’re saying, “Trust me”, to a nation that really doesn’t know what trust means.
How can a nation trust when they don’t value their own words?
Our currency proclaims, “In God We Trust”, but do we?
This nation doesn’t trust God. If it did, God would be more a part of our world. Evident in our activities, our behavior, our decisions, and our morals.
We do everything we can to erase even the mention of God from our society and vocabulary.
Maybe, just maybe, if we started holding OURSELVES accountable to the promises WE make, we just might find the moral fiber and backbone to hold OTHERS accountable for the things THEY’VE promised.
“Trust me” should be the most powerful oath a person could ever say. But it isn’t anymore.
Maybe someday.
“O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart…who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” (Psalm 15:1-4 ESV)
“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it.” (Numbers 23:19 ESV)
“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” (Psalm 118:8 ESV)
Jan Grace 