Have you ever been too trusting? Boy, I have!
Honest people expect others to be honest.
This is a difficult thing about being a “good person”—when you are honest, fair, forgiving, and kind, you assume everyone else is. Or you tell yourself they may be a little shady, but not that bad. We each assume everyone else operates the way we do: if you cheat to get ahead, you are CONVINCED everyone else does too. And if you are honest, you give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
When my grandfather bought a new car in 1973—a Plymouth Fury that became my first car twelve years later—Uncle Bob asked him what he paid.
“Well, I paid what they were asking.”
“You paid the sticker price?!” Uncle Bob was shocked his father had not negotiated for a better deal.
“Well, they wouldn’t ask for that amount if they didn’t need it. You know, the dealer’s got expenses too.”
Uncle Bob shook his head; it was too late now[1].
With all due respect to Paw Paw—76 at the time—he was too trusting of car salesmen.
“I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves” Matthew 10:16.
Jesus commands His disciples to be shrewd as serpents. That is, be as discerning and wise and cagey as snakes: BE CAREFUL WHOM YOU TRUST. But don’t lose your innocence. Stay pure and honest, but do not let liars fool you. Because if they harm you or trick you out of your money—they have harmed God’s Kingdom! As a steward of God’s Kingdom, you have a DUTY to be discerning. We must be shrewd, or we are disobedient.
Love, kindness, and generosity will NEVER require you to be willfully ignorant. Don’t ignore the red flags God shows you to warn you away from cons and liars.
In what area or with whom do you need to be more shrewd?
ΑΩ
[1] The new car sold for $3,675.00.
Household Words: 