It is ‘USELESS’ to put our TRUST in PEOPLE!
September
27 Bible Reading: Micah Chapters 4-7
It is ‘USELESS’ to put our TRUST in PEOPLE!
"Do not trust in a friend; do not put
your confidence in a companion; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies
in your bosom. For son dishonors father, daughter rises against her mother,
daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own
household. Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my
salvation; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:5-7)
Micah must
have felt quite lonely as he faced the proud, powerful people of Jerusalem. He
must have felt miserable as he searched in
vain for the godly…only to discover that he couldn’t find even one godly person! Like Elijah (see 1 Kings
19:10), he probably felt as if he was the last faithful believer on the earth (see
similar sentiments expressed in Psalms 12:1; Isaiah 57:1).
Sin had
unraveled the very fabric of the Judean society so that even family members could not be trusted. In fact, when family ties
could no longer guarantee love, concern, and devotion, then the social order had
been totally distorted by sin. Even one’s spouse could not be trusted (v. 5),
and the most vicious enemies were own family members! Wherever Micah turned, he
seemed to find people who were bloodthirsty, corrupted, treacherous, and
deceitful.
During those
days, sin was so rampant throughout the land that it affected, distorted, and
perverted every human relationship. A friend could not be trusted; a guide could
not be confided upon and intimate communication could not be entrusted to one’s
most intimate relationships. In short, chaos reigned throughout the land,
destroying every interpersonal relationship. It was a repeat of the days of the
judges when everyone did that which was right in their own eyes (see Judges
21:25).
In the
darkness of Judah’s sin Micah’s faithfulness shone all the more brightly as he expressed
his confidence in Jehovah God who alone remained faithful against the backdrop
of such infidelity in every human relationship. In spite of the dark outlook
around him, Micah would look unto Jehovah and patiently wait for his salvation,
confident that God will hear his prayers even though the kings, judges, and
influential people of the land refused to do so.
Micah had
given up on the people of Judah, but he could still “watch in hope for the Lord” because he knew God would answer his prayers! Faced with such a world, prophet Micah
found reassurance in the fact that God remains in control and takes care of His
faithful children, no matter what others may be up to (v. 7). This truth can be
a great hope for us today, especially when we find ourselves in the minority,
or even all alone among people who do not know or honor Jehovah God.
Perhaps like
Micah, we may sometimes feel that we have no one to turn to with our stresses
and struggles. It is not just a matter of having someone to understand, but of
finding someone we can trust. When people fail us, let us remember that our God is always faithful and He alone can be trusted. Just like
prophet Micah, let us also make the same three decisions: “I will look, I will wait, I will pray” (v. 7) as we turn to God
for help. It is useless to put our trust in people, but we can always put our
trust in God alone!
