Trust Me

Is there a fail safe way to trust someone? Yes. Sometimes we meet people who are so trustworthy that we just fall in love with them. We give them our friendship and things are good for life. Yet many times we find ourselves meeting a new person that we are not quite sure if we like them or not. Maybe we can't read them well, maybe they don't display emotions, or maybe they are waffling between between being scared of us or trusting us as well and that makes things weird. Is there any sure fire way to know if a person is going to be a beneficial friend?

Jesus, who could see into the hearts of men (John 2:24,25) knew that we would not be able to see as clearly so He left us guidelines on how to know men. When one looks back to the book of Proverbs 20:11 it becomes clear that Jesus was teaching us to know people by their fruit when He warns of false prophets or hypocrites. Actions, deeds, doings, activities, labor, accomplishments, all are fruit and point to the character of the person they came from. Good fruit comes from good character, bad fruit comes from, originates is, is sourced in bad character. Don't be deceived.

It is not enough to look upon the outward appearance of a person. Fine clothing and fit health can give the impression that someone is good. It also will not do to look at their works or deeds from a worldly frame of mind either. We may think that because someone can speak four languages they are a good person. It would be easy to think that someone with advanced degrees was interested in serving society. It might be easy to classify someone as a good person because they work at a charity, but God looks much deeper into the character and so should we.

The Bible doesn't just want us to examine works but spiritual works; not just fruit, but spiritual fruit. Does this person love people, and how does that love manifest itself? Is this person joyous, how does that joy manifest itself? Is this person at peace, and if they are peaceful how does that work itself out in their life? Is this person patient, in what ways have you ever seen them be patient? Is this person kind, who have you seen them be kind to? Good fruit comes from good character.