Who can we trust?

Knowing who and what we can trust has become increasingly important. In recent years polls have shown a consistent decline of public trust in major institutions, such as the press, and in public figures, especially elected officials. There also seems to be an erosion of trust between individuals, as fewer people know their neighbors well, go to church together, or participate in community and civic groups. 

When we feel we have reason to be distrustful of someone or something, or find that our trust has been betrayed, what is the remedy? Is it possible to regain that trust?

There’s a statement by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science, that I’ve found to be foundational to any trusting relationship: “. . . Trust in Truth, and have no other trusts” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 171). Here, Truth is a synonym for God. The book of Proverbs puts it this way: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (3:5, 6).