Trustworthiness-Staff

 

Proverbs 20:6-7

“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man? A righteous man who walks in his integrity – How blessed are his sons after him.”

Q: Why is the unimpaired devotion to trustworthiness essential to a healthy relationship?

It is essential to a healthy relationship because unimpaired trustworthiness and integrity means that you can be counted on to do what you say you are going to do. You don’t lie or deviate from what you say. The relationship isn’t weakened or damaged by falsehood. (Matthew 5:37)

Q: Where do you struggle with being trustworthy?

Do you struggle with letting your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no”? Do you struggle being trustworthy with your friends and family? Doing you struggle being trustworthy with integrity? Do you struggle being trustworthy with money? Do you struggle being trustworthy with your work? Do you struggle being trustworthy on homework and not cheating on tests?

Proverbs 20:11

“It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself if his conduct is pure and right.”

Q: It has been said, “it takes time to develop trust, but it can be broken by one bad decision.” Why do you think this is so true?

This is the devastation of sin. Some think that sin doesn’t have serious consequences, but when trust is broken, relationships are broken.

Psalms 119:97-98, 119:127-129

“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine.”

“Therefore I love Your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything, I hate every false way. Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul observes them.”

Q: How does a deep love and respect for God’s Word develop your trustworthiness?

God’s Word sharpens you. His word guides you into truth. His word teaches you what is wrong and leads you to do what is right. The more you love His Word, the more you build a trustworthy heart.

Picture

Luke 16:10 – “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little things is unrighteous also in much. ”

Q: Jesus’ principle of “being faithful in the little things, and I will entrust you with great things” (paraphrased) is great wisdom for a trustworthy person. In your own words, what is Jesus communicating here?

If I do well in the small things He asks me to do, He finds me trustworthy enough to do greater things.

Q: How does this principle speak to you about the things that you have been entrusted with today?

How are you doing with spending time with God? How are you treating your parents? How are you doing with your schoolwork? How are you doing with your responsibilities at home? How are you doing with your discipling of other students?

Paul

1 Timothy 1:18“This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight…” Q: As Paul entrusted Timothy with the task of carrying the baton of faith, what is he communicating when he says, “Fight the good fight?”

The good fight is a battle worth fighting. The good fight is running from sin. The good fight is pursuing purity in everything. The good fight is often doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing.

2 Timothy 1:5 “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that is in you as well.”

Q: What is “sincere faith,” and why is it so key to becoming a faithful believer?

Sincere faith is believing in Jesus Christ and following His commandments. “…and from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)

Peter

1 Peter 1:6 & 7 “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Q: How do you and God turn your trials into precious gold? How do you stay faithful in trials of all kinds?

Trials make your faith strong and prove its worth. You may learn during the good times, but you are always most refined through trials. Refining means removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance. Gold is purified through fire, so we are refined through trials. Trials make us more like Jesus.

APPLICATION: How do these passages relate to me today? What changes do they bring to my life?

LOCKER ROOM: Is there anything this week that you have been enslaved to, and how we can help you?