The word, trust, has a number of definitions, two of which, taken from the American Heritage Dictionary, are as follows:

Throughout God’s Word, He exhorted mankind to put his trust in Him; to put his very life in God’s hands; to commit his soul to Him. Such is the truth found in the following scriptures:

• "The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know Thy Name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee." (Psalm 9:9,10)
• "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
• "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." (1 Timothy 4:10)
• "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12).

These scriptures carry the ideas "to lean on," "to be confident," and "to hope" (Young's Concordance); and they go along with the first definition from the American Heritage Dictionary. However, in this short lesson, we want to focus on the second definition, and to that end, we begin with the following story.

A news crew was covering the devastation wrought by hurricane Lily last October, 2002. They found a young man (a National Guardsman whose job it was to help during times of distress) who had lost his entire house. While they talked with him, he was busy cleaning up what was left of his house and possessions. As he pushed his wheelbarrow back to the pile of rubble, he said over his shoulder, "He never gives us anything we can't handle." (He was obviously referring to God; ct. 1 Corinthians 10:13). Then, he hesitated, and added, "I just wish He didn't trust me so much!"

As our Father’s children, He "trusts" us to be so much! For a moment, consider if you will, what He "trusts" us to be:

1. He Trusts Us to Be His Servants: It is written, "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was de1ievered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ... But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Romans 6:17,18,22) Are you a trustworthy servant?

2. He Trusts Us to Be His Own: It is written, "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For we are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s." (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)

   "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:17,18). Are you a trustworthy son or daughter?

3. He Trusts Us to Be His Vessels: It is written, "But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work." (2 Timothy 2:20-21) Are you a trustworthy vessel?

4. He Trusts Us to Be His Stewards: It is written, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithfu1." (1 Corinthians 4:1,2)

   "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)

   "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15) Are you a trustworthy steward?

5. He Trusts Us to Be His Defenders: It is written, "... I am set for the defense of the Gospel." (Philippians 1:17)

   "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." (Jude 3) Are you a trustworthy defender?

6. He Trusts Us to Be His Soldiers: It is written, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." (2 Timothy 2:3,4)

   "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13) Are you a trustworthy soldier?

7. He Trusts Us to Be His Priests: It is written, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ... But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:5,9) Are you a trustworthy priest?

8. He Trusts Us to Be Faithful: It is written, "... If ye continue in My word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31,32)

   "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and, love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Luke 16:10-13)

   “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)

   "His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."(Matthew 25:23) Are you a trustworthy, faithful Christian?

Are you what the Father trusts you to be? “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves; Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Corinthians 13:5)

"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon day. ... Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the--end of that man is peace."(Psalm 37:5,6,37)