Jesus didn’t trust people. Why? The apostle John explained that Jesus “knew all men” and “knew what was in a man.” Jesus “knows our drowsy indifference to matters of highest importance, our rabid passion for matters that are trivial. He knows we get angrier at missing a bus or being delayed on a runway than we do at crimes of genocide.” (Mark Buchanan -- see last post)

We would be wise to view our fellow man with a similar skepticism because we all sin against one another at an astonishing rate. I inform my beginning students that there are no stupid questions and then I become openly irritated by a question that seems infantile. I promise my son that I will be at his soccer game, but become tangled in a friend’s turmoil. I promise my area chair that I will promptly complete an evaluation form (needed for the renewal of the university’s accreditation), but avoid doing it because I don’t understand the form and won’t ask for clarifications. (I wasn’t paying attention when directions were given in our staff meeting!) On my way to a church board meeting, I promise myself that I am going to let others finish speaking before I speak -- and then repeatedly interrupt my colleagues when I become excited about an idea.

I am convinced that one of the reasons my marriage has survived for 35 years is that neither Cathy nor I expect too much from each other. We understand that with discouraging frequency we are selfish or bossy or cranky or rude. We understand that God is the only one who is always trustworthy and have learned to put our hope in Him. “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength.... But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” (Jer.17:5,7).