Day 3 | Faithfulness Over Time Produces Trust

Command:

Bear fruit that lasts. John 15:16 

Read:

Jesus then told them this story: A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. One day he went out to pick some figs, but he didn’t find any. So he said to the gardener, “For three years I have come looking for figs on this tree, and I haven’t found any yet. Chop it down! Why should it take up space?” The gardener answered, “Master, leave it for another year. I’ll dig around it and put some manure on it to make it grow. Maybe it will have figs on it next year. If it doesn’t, you can have it cut down.” Luke 13:6-9 (CEV)

Reflect:

Faithfulness is making agreements you can keep and then keeping the agreements you make. If you do that for enough time trust arises.

We make agreements with God, ourselves, and others with whom we have relationships. It's disheartening to think about the many times I fail to keep my agreements with God. I know how frustrated I get when people don't keep their agreements with me and the shame I feel when I break my agreements with them. I even break agreements I make with myself to regulate my behavior and appetites. I would like to be as faithful to God, myself, and others as God is with me.

Some agreements are implicit while others are explicit. The fig tree had an implicit agreement to produce figs. The agreement was implied because that's what fig trees do. The tree failed to keep its agreement so the owner had no trust that it would produce figs in the future. He directed that the fig tree be cut down. 

The gardener asked for some grace to help the fig tree keep its agreement. He was more explicit in his agreement with the fig tree. I will help you, but if you fail to keep your agreement, then we can’t trust you, and you will literally be cut off. 

We want to rely on people to keep their agreements with us and we want to reliably keep our agreements with them. When we keep our agreements consistently trust arises, and the relationship is predictable and peaceful. When agreements are broken trust evaporates and the relationship becomes chaotic.

React:

So, only make agreements you can keep and be faithful to keep the agreements you make.

Pray:

Lord thank you for your faithfulness and your steadfast love that endures forever. I trust in your grace and mercy. May I be as faithful to you as you are to me.