Happiness Comes from Being Trusted

“Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat — refreshing!” (Proverbs 25:13 MSG)

The more people trust you, the happier you’re going to be. If people don’t trust you, you’re going to live a pretty miserable life.

If you want to be happy, you’ve got to become somebody that people trust.

Paul uses Timothy as an example of this: “You know the kind of person Timothy is. You know he has served with me in telling the Good News, as a son serves his father” (Philippians 2:22 NCV).

Paul had seen Timothy in action, in all kinds of circumstances, and he considered him genuine, trustworthy, and reliable. God’s Word translation says, “You know what kind of person Timothy proved to be.” Do people know what kind of person you really are? Have you been proven trustworthy like Timothy?

Any time you go to a bank for a loan, they’re going to do a credit check. They want to know if you’re worthy of being trusted with credit. Do you pay your bills on time? Do you have a track record of keeping your word? Can you be depended on to pay this money back? Are you creditable?

The thing is, everybody around you is doing a credit check on your life every moment of your life. They want to know if you are what you say you are. Are you the real deal? Are you showing your true colors? Can you be trusted?

If you’re going to be happy in your relationships and in life, you have to learn to be a trustworthy and reliable person.

How do you develop a reputation of reliability?

First, you live with integrity. Integrity doesn’t mean you’re perfect. It means what you see is what you get. You are the real deal, because your actions match your words.

Proverbs 25:13 says, “Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat — refreshing!” (MSG) Can your friends rely on you to be the person you claim to be?

Second, you keep your promises.

Psalm 15:4 says, “They always do what they promise, no matter how much it may cost” (TEV).

This means you keep a promise, even when you find out it’s going to cost you more than you thought.

Learning to live with integrity and keep your promises will show others that you can be trusted and will in turn make you a much happier person.

Talk It Over
- Why do you think the Bible compares a reliable friend to a refreshing drink in sweltering heat? What is the value of a trustworthy friend?
- Do you consider yourself to be a person of integrity? Why or why not?
What are the ways you live your life differently in different situations?

~ Written by: Rick Warren ~
~ Modified by: Oleg Fabyanchuk ~

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