Can I Be Trusted? — Morning Devotions

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It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships. Now, as I read that, I’m certain it’s accurate. Trust is the glue to life. It was Mahatma Gandhi who once said, among the most essential qualities of the human spirit are to trust oneself and to build trust with others. Fair enough. The question I ask myself today is, can I be trusted being a trustworthy person? What a fascinating topic.

I think it’s crucial for building healthy relationships with other people for succeeding in both your professional and personal life. Here are some ways that you can become a trustworthy person. Always keep your promises. People trust those who do what they say. They’ll do be honest.

Honesty is the foundation of trust

And what about confidentiality? Respecting other people’s privacy? Don’t share that confidential information without their permission showing respect even if you don’t agree with them. Treat them with dignity and respect. Be reliable. Show up on time. Meet your deadlines. Follow through on your commitments.

Be consistent. Consistency builds trust. Admit your mistakes. Be accountable. Take responsibility for your actions, hold yourself accountable for any of your mistakes and finally show empathy. In other words, put yourself in other people’s shoes and show compassion and understanding. And I think by consistently demonstrating these qualities, you can become a trustworthy person and build strong, positive relationship with others.

Do you want others to trust you? Yes, it’s an important issue. I don’t want people to trust me because they feel obligated or because they’ve been told they should, and neither do. I want them to trust me because of my title or position. I want them to trust me because I’ve earned it. Let’s say you’re going to the public swimming pool or a beach. There might be 100 people there. You’d like to leave your wallet with someone so you could go into the water, enjoy a good day out.

If there’s one person there that you know would leave your wallet with them, you wouldn’t leave it with the 99 others there. But one person there who would be trusted. It’s a simple illustration. Am I completely trustworthy if a stranger hands me their wallet for safe keeping? One of the most well known examples of a trustworthy person is Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. Lincoln was known for his honesty, integrity and commitment to doing what was right, even in the face of great adversity.

And during his time as a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln earned a reputation for being fair and honest in his dealings with clients and the opposing council as well. He was also known for keeping his word and fulfilling his commitments, even when it became inconvenient to do so. As the president, he faced one of the greatest crises in American history the Civil War.

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And despite tremendous pressures from both sides, Abraham Lincoln remained steadfast in his commitment to preserving the union and ending slavery. He was a man who was willing to make tough decisions and take unpopular stands if he believed they were the right thing to do.

And perhaps one of his most powerful examples was the willingness to listen and consider the advice of others, even those who disagreed with him. In the end, Abraham Lincoln’s commitment to honesty, integrity and doing what was right made him one of the most beloved and respected leaders in American history.

The Bible says in Proverbs 20:6. Many proclaim themselves loyal, but who can find one worthy of trust? What do you think about that question with me? Who is there that someone in your life that you can trust? Try and picture who it is and write down their name and ask yourself, why do I trust that person?

The answer is because they’ve proven trustworthy. Usually people we trust have earned our trust by their consistent actions. Over time, our experiences as children can be critically important in how easy or difficult it will be for us to trust people.

So trust takes time, including time to learn to trust ourselves as well, to discern who are these people that we can rely on? We can make a promise to ourselves to be worthy of trust, and then we go on practicing it, and by doing this, we bring more trust into the world. And what a gift that can be.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, the question for me today is can I be trusted? Am I the sort of person Lord that others look to and respect and believe? Help me to be that person Because, Lord, I know this is what you want for me. Amen.