500 Years of Trust Building: Trust Me

When someone says, “Trust me,” how do you react?

At four months of age, my dad tried to play the same game with me that he had played with my older sister years before. I was supposed to stand up straight on his hand while he balanced me up above his head.

At four months old, my confident sister had happily stood up tall, trusting that nothing bad would happen.

My Sister's 4-Month Trust Level

My timid personality resulted in an opposite reaction.

My 4-Month Trust Level (safe on the ground)

Personality affects our natural trust tendencies. Some people need more time than others to build trusting relationships. But it’s not just about time spent.

For example, if a lifelong friend who has borrowed money from you and only paid it back after multiple reminders says, “Trust me,” you may think twice.

Although there has been a time investment, the relationship lacks the trust component.

Is there a person in your life who would initiate a YES reaction? If so, why?

Most likely, it’s because, over time, they have been truthful and have kept their promises, thus building a trusting relationship.

When that trust is built, it results in faith – because trust and faith go hand in hand.

For example, if your aunt has never lied to you, you would trust her to tell the truth. If she says that she will pick you up from the airport, you will have faith that she will be there.

Speaking of faith, the Bible praises Noah and calls him righteous because he had faith to believe God and build the ark (Hebrews 11:7). Did he just have a trusting personality, which resulted in automatic faith in God?

Perhaps, but remember that Noah was 500 years old when God asked him to build the ark. Maybe God invested 500 years building a trusting relationship with Noah so that when He said, “Trust Me,” Noah was able to reply, in faith, with a YES.

At four months, my relationship with my dad was not strong enough to play his trust game. I needed more time filled with truthfulness and kept promises to build a trusting relationship with him.

Building Trust

Perhaps now, more than 50 years later (and with enough muscle on his part), I could do it. (hee-hee!)

If you’re like me and need lots of time to build trusting relationships, just remember – God made you that way!

I don’t think God worries at all over the time He invests in building trust so that

faith can grow. After all, He gave Noah 500 years of truthfulness and kept promises before asking him to stand tall in faith!