Earned, not bestowed

on living a trustworthy life

Seeing a three-way split in the trail ahead, I slowed, looking for a clue as to which one was ours. There was nothing—no sign, no discernible difference between the trails, no indication of which path was the one we wanted. Because my husband always knows where he is and I’m often on the verge of lost, I asked him which way we were supposed to go.

Today, from the comfort of my high-rise hotel room in the city, I can see that wasn’t a fair question. We were on a trail he’d never seen a map of, in a provincial park he’d never before set foot in, in a country he’d never hiked in. Still, when I asked, he looked the options, consulted his internal compass, and said, “This way.” And I followed him. I followed him because he has a solid history. He has a good record of choosing the right path, one made more credible by his ability to course correct when he finds that he’s chosen incorrectly. In short, I followed him because I trusted him and I trusted him because he’s proven himself trustworthy. 

Photo by Rebecca Hansen on Unsplash

True on the trail. True in life. 

What’s true on the trail is true in life. Trustworthiness is earned. It’s earned by our history, our choices, our willingness to realize—and course-correct—when we’ve lost our way. And it’s easy to drift off course. We’re navigating complex topography in a land where the loudest voice wins our attention (along with the likes and advertising dollars that go with it), making it difficult to discern which way is right. If we want to be trustworthy, we need to live a trustworthy life. To that end, I offer 3 suggestions. 

1. Recognize trustworthy people Notice the voices you’ve offered your treasure of time and attention to. Examine their expertise and credibility, and choose those with a good reputation of wisdom and discernment. Watch for those who are willing to quietly lead the way to a destination worth arriving at.

2. Elevate trustworthy ideas Reflect on what you’re filling your mind and soul with and acknowledge its effect. Consider the ancient wisdom (from the likes of Plato, Aristotle, and Augustine) that elevated the importance of the true, the beautiful, and the good. Heed the words of Paul, who calls us to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8)

3. Share trustworthy information In a time when words are increasingly cheap, realize that many of them are carelessly spoken, quoted, misquoted, or shared with a simple click. Evaluate before you share. 

Your Turn

Pause and reflect: How are you cultivating trustworthiness in your life?

take heart & happy trails ~

Natalie 🥾