Actions Earn Trust
“If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” 1 Corinthians 10:12
[The surest way to build trust in marriage] is through your actions.
Build a record of choices and deeds that proves to your partner () you can be trusted at all times.
Take flirting, for example. It may be harmless to show a bit of extra friendliness /to a member of the opposite sex.
But ask yourself, Would my spouse feel comfortable /if he or she witnessed this exchange? Would my actions earn trust,
or would they raise doubt about my motives?
I (jcd) urge you to be wary of pride /in your own infallibility. The minute () you begin thinking that an affair “would never happen to me” is when you become most vulnerable. We are sexual creatures with powerful urges. We are also fallen beings /with
strong desires to do wrong. That is what temptation is all about. Do not give it a place /in your life. My father once wrote,
“Strong desire is like a powerful river. As long as it stays within the banks of God’s will, all will be proper and clean.
But when it overflows those boundaries, devastation awaits downstream.”
Actions can affect trust /in easy‐to‐overlook ways. When you promise to clean out the garage next weekend,
make sure () you do it. When you agree to limit your spending /to a certain amount, follow through.
[Keeping your word in small matters] builds trust in a big way.
Just between us…
- Where is the line between friendly interest and flirting?
- What actions do I take that help you trust me?
- How did Jesus establish trust with His disciples?
Lord
Jesus, thank You for being our example of trustworthiness and
integrity. Help us every day to turn away from temptation and
compromise. We want to be true in our innermost being. Amen.
- From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.