Learning The Value of Being Trustworthy

In review of Proverbs 25:13 it says, “Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat — refreshing!”

Bottom Line:

A reliable person who does what they say, will be like a refreshing a cold drink in the heat of summer to others.

What this means to me:

I should strive to be reliable and trustworthy to others in all I do. When I do so, it is as refreshing to them as a cold drink in the worst of heat.

It only makes sense that the more people who trust me, the happier life will be around me. If I’m not trusted, life is likely to be pretty miserable. So why not be someone that people trust.

Paul uses Timothy as an example of this: “You know the kind of person Timothy is. You know he has served with me in telling the Good News, as a son serves his father” (Philippians 2:22 NCV).

Paul had seen Timothy in action, in all kinds of circumstances, and he considered him genuine, trustworthy, and reliable. God’s Word translation says, “You know what kind of person Timothy proved to be.”

The question for me to ponder this morning is, do people know what kind of person I am? Have I been able to be proven trustworthy like Timothy?

Any time I’ve gone to a bank or a mortgage company for a loan, they did a credit check. They wanted to know if I was worthy of being trusted with credit. Did I pay my bills on time? Do I have a track record of keeping my word? Can I be depended on to pay this money back? Am I creditable?

Much like an institution who lends money, everybody around me is doing a credit check on my life every moment. They want to know if I am what I say I am. Am I the real deal? Am I showing my true colors? Can I be trusted?

It makes sense to strive for being a trustworthy and reliable person. Here’s what I know regarding what it takes to develop a reputation of reliability.

First, I live with integrity. Integrity doesn’t mean I’m perfect. It means what you see is what you get. I’m the real deal, because my actions match my words. Proverbs 25:13 says, “Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat — refreshing!” (MSG) Can my friends rely on me to be the person I claim to be?

Second, I keep my promises. Psalm 15:4 says, “They always do what they promise, no matter how much it may cost” (TEV). This means I keep a promise, even when I find out it’s going to cost me more than I thought.

Learning to live with integrity and keep my promises will show others that I can be trusted.

When I think back about today’s verse. It’s a great correlation between a refreshing cold drink when it’s really hot, which is truly refreshing and what it’s like when you are reliable and trustworthy to others.  It nice to have those who are trustworthy in my life, I know that they will come through with what they say.

A long time ago, I had set forth for myself to be a person of integrity.  This is because in my pre-christian days, I didn’t really have integrity. It would be easy for me to say one thing and do something completely opposite, or be different when no one was looking.  I’m happy to say that God has greatly helped me in this realm, and today I would consider myself to be a trustworthy and reliable person. I’m not perfect, but when I mess up, I confess. I would say that today life is different because I do my best to keep my promises even when it ends up costing me more than I thought. Integrity and trustworthiness is important, not just for those around me, but because of who I ultimately serve, God himself.