Trusting God
“Thus saith the LORD; Curseth be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5)
This verse is not saying we shouldn’t trust people. It’s saying we shouldn’t trust people to do things that only God can do.
You may have heard people say of a problem, “the government needs to do something.” Yet there are some things the government simply doesn’t have the capability to do. For instance, the government cannot “keep us safe.” In “6 Reasons Why It’s Time to Defund the Police,” Mary Zerkel wrote, “Policing doesn’t keep us safe.”
Is it the job of the police to “keep people safe”? If it is, and if a criminal commits a robbery, burglary, or auto theft, then the fault is with the police because they have failed to “keep people safe.” That idea makes no sense. Even the best officers can’t stop crime before it happens.
When an area has a high crime volume, an understaffed police department, and/or too many criminal-friendly restrictions on its officers, this truth is even more obvious. Police can do their work to the best of their ability, and they should. They can also suggest helpful crime-prevention measures, such as light sensors, large dogs, neighborhood watches, and situational awareness. Yet citizens should not passively expect the government (aka police) to “keep them safe.”
Even a good government doesn’t have all the answers. Take active shooter training, for example. Three basic rules apply to an active shooter attack: run, hide, fight. If you can run, run. If you can’t run but you can hide in a barricaded place, hide. If you can’t run or hide, fight the shooter as best you can. Whatever you do, though, don’t just call 911 and hope the cops get to you before the shooter does. DON’T EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT TO DO WHAT IT CAN’T DO.
Some people may expect the government to have all the answers since it’s “the government.” Yet the government consists of imperfect human beings, even if they are well-educated and have good intentions. Like all of us, leaders can also be tempted to make bad, sinful decisions. 1 Timothy 2:2 says to pray “…for all that are in authority;” for good reason.
If you are a leader, Proverbs 3:5-6 is a great passage: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Your decisions affect many people. Before you vote on an issue, spend some time in God’s Word. Tell Him in detail about the issue and what’s at stake. Admit you don’t have all the answers. Ask Him to guide you to do what pleases Him, not your friends or others in your political party.
If you’re a citizen, pray for your mayor, your city council, your congress members, your senators. Pray for them by name. Pray for their families and their personal lives. Unlike most of us, they must live in a fishbowl where their careers and even their personal lives can be on display for all to see. Ask the Lord to give them the grace to make good decisions that please Him, and to stand by them.
Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jesus, God the Son, came to earth, lived, died, and rose again to give us hope for this life and for eternity. If you want to see from the Bible how to receive Jesus as your personal Saviour, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”
Brian Miller 3/11/2022
Cleveland Baptist Church 4431 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 216/671-2822