Trust

Do you have any trust issues?

Have you got them as a result of being let down or having your trust broken by someone?

It’s always a someone right?

It hurts and can be expensive too. Especially when it’s someone close to us.

Our upbringing actually sets up our mental framework for trusting in later life. If we have a caregiver who is consistent in being helpful, comforting and meeting our needs then we will be, generally speaking, more trusting and more trustworthy. A child who has had a very inconsistent caregiver growing up is also more likely to lack trust in relationships and remain autonomous.

One of my first girlfriends really broke my heart and caused me to be distrusting of women, after causing me to go into debt to feed a habit and work extra hours to support us both. She was unwilling to work.

The thing is that we are always practising trust in society. From the bus driver, to other road users, from the banker to the person selling us our groceries (is it horse meat). Trusting is essential to humans.

For a recent study, participants were put under the illusion that they were playing an economic investment game with three different players: a close friend, a stranger, or a computerised slot machine. In reality, in every instance the participants were actually playing against a computer with a simple algorithm that systematically reciprocated actions worthy of trust exactly 50 percent of the time.

Based on perceptions of trust, the participants reported positive interactions with the "close friend" to be more rewarding than interactions with a stranger or slot machine—and were more likely to invest with this player. Imagine their surprise that it was a machine all along! This illustrates our innate human desire to connect with others and create close-knit bonds even if these ties are based on blind trust or lead to Ponzi schemes.

Brain imaging of the participants showed that two specific brain regions were actively engaged when they thought they were trusting a close friend. Increased activity of the ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex were correlated with positive social value signals when participants made decisions, based on a belief that they were playing with a good friend.

The ventral striatum is considered a key pathway in human reward processing and positive emotions.

The medial prefrontal cortex is associated with how we perceive another person's mental state and monitoring what's happening outside our current focus of attention. The medial prefrontal cortex also plays a role in decision-making as well retrieving and consolidating memories.

Together, these brain regions provide additional evidence that participants felt a greater social reward when they believed their good friend had reciprocated cooperation during the game. Interestingly, feelings of trust occurred despite the reality of the situation. Even though reciprocity occurred 50 percent of the time under every circumstance, participants consistently trusted the "good friend" more than the other imaginary players throughout the game. (psychology today august 2015)

Trusting someone is always a risk.

Trust is the measure of what you’re willing to lose! Joshua Gagnon

If you’re willing to give someone your whole heart/ money/ life, you are giving that person authority over what you’ve given them. You hope, but cannot be certain, that they’ll do the “right thing” with those resources

Peter, the disciple of Jesus, had an experience with Jesus that led to him trusting Jesus at His word. Early in his relationship Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah and Jesus responded by saying;

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it.

So Peter had an amazing prophecy over his life (regardless of how you break this verse down theologically Peter would’ve thought this word from Jesus about him was amazing)

And then Jesus tells Peter another prophecy of what he is going to do;

Luke 22: 31 ‘Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’33 But he replied, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’34 Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.’

And soon after it comes true in Luke 22:54-60

Peter now has a verifiable account of Jesus words coming true concerning him and so the Ecclesia, or church of God, is born

Acts 2:14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:

He becomes a fearless leader of the first believers

Acts 4:29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

Maybe God has spoken a word into you’re life of something you should do; Forgive someone, step out in faith, leave or even stay. What could you’re life accomplish for Gods glory if you were willing to trust Him completely.

God’s word can be trusted, and He has proved Himself over time.

Here’s the real kicker

Jesus trusts you. His last words were a mission statement to the church, to the followers of His way. If you are a follower of Jesus today, Christ has given you all the trust and authority needed to ‘go and make disciples’. He was willing to lose it all on the cross as He trusts you that much.

Imagine what your home would look like if you trusted your spouse or kids fully. What could your community look like if you trusted God at his word and lived it out authentically? Imagine your work places if people knew that even in the darkest days of your life you trusted God had a plan for your life and that He can be trusted with it.

Jim Baxter Youth Pastor