I used to have a Jeep truck that developed an electrical problem. While I would be driving down the road, it would just suddenly die. The tach needle would fall to zero and I would be coasting. Many times it would fire back up just as suddenly as it stopped, and I would complete my trip. A few times I spent some time at the side of the road before I could get it to start again. I took it to a mechanic who replaced a part. I drove it home with no problems but the very next day it did it again.
I called the mechanic, who told me that he was just guessing because he couldn’t get it to fail while he had it. It was an intermittent problem. It was an unpredictable and random fault. I finally found the problem on my own. It took me a few difficult weeks. It was a part that cost $12.50.
The real issue here was that my truck had become seriously unreliable. I couldn’t count on it to get me anywhere without possible failure. Had I had a better choice at the time, I probably would have replaced the truck and moved on. It cost me time and money to track and finally solve that problem. What I remember most about the whole experience was the dread I felt each time it failed, and the tremendous relief I felt when I finally solved it.
We as people can be just as unreliable. Unlike in Bible times, we don’t seem to take our word too seriously anymore. This is sad because when a person’s word is not good, whether they realize it or not, that person is destroying everyone’s trust in them.
Proverbs 25:19 says “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.”
Like my old truck, we all may have people in our lives that, while we may like them quite a bit, we know that we can’t fully trust them to keep their word. They are unfaithful. How do you know they are unfaithful? You counted on them once & they left you twisting in the breeze. Maybe more than once. Sometimes they will be there for you, but sometimes they just don’t show up. The truth is though, that when someone is put to the test and lets you down more than once, you tend to hold back on trusting them. No matter how much you like them, deep down you know you can’t rely on them.
Their intentions may be honorable, but they are not consistent in keeping their word. Because of this, if you’re like me, when I need help, I go out of my way to work around these people. I would rather not use them at all.
It also speaks to value. If you value someone, you keep your word to them. If you care about someone else, you will demonstrate your care by being there when you said you would, or not doing what you said you wouldn’t do. When we care for others, we make our word stand up – every time.
A foot can still be used when it’s sprained, but you will suffer for it. An unfaithful person can still be trusted, but at least some of the time, you’re going to suffer for it. The problem is that you never know when they will flake out on you.
Where do you stand? Is your word good? This week, take some time to think about it. Decide to make your word so true that people can trust in you every time and be safe.
Love you guys. Don’t forget to share this if it’s been helpful to you.
You’re buddy,
Art
