So, Jeremiah, if you’re worn out in this footrace with men,
what makes you think you can race against horses?
And if you can’t keep your wits during times of calm,
what’s going to happen when troubles break loose
like the Jordan in flood?
Those closest to you, your own brothers and cousins,
are working against you.
They’re out to get you. They’ll stop at nothing.
Don’t trust them, especially when they’re smiling.
Jeremiah 12:5-6
Observation: Jeremiah has asked this question of the Lord ... why do evil people prosper and succeed in attacking him and his character, when he is doing God's work and living according to everything God tells him to do? Yes, the Lord confirms for Jeremiah that punishment is soon coming to all of Israel and Judah. Yes, the Lord explicitly tells Jeremiah he will deal with the people of Anathoth, Jeremiah's own home town. However, the Lord also simply tells him the truth about evil, scheming people. They are running a different race by different rules, and you cannot beat them alone. Faithful people can merely survive human life, so of course they struggle when others create hazards and barriers. Jeremiah is right in knowing that even those close to him - those who claim to love him as family - are scheming against him, so don't trust even their kindness.
Application: While this instruction had some specifics for Jeremiah, I feel this lesson applies to all believers. Those under the influence of evil in the world will scheme against us, and we cannot overcome those schemes without the Lord's help. In fact, we will fall victim to some of the schemes, and the Lord's help will come after-the-fact, with assistance for our recovery, and future punishment for the evil actor. And lest we forget, these schemers are everywhere, even those who would declare themselves friends.
As I sit here today, I can thoughtfully state for a fact that I fully trust only my wife, my children, and two friends. I might trust two or three other people with only specific aspects of my life. I trust no one professionally. And my wife's list of whom she trusts might be smaller than mine.
Some might call this a very sad situation, and they may even criticize us for this ... they might state that this sort of mindset is indicative of a lack of faith in mankind and thus contrary to God's will for us to love others, or that this represents a division in the church if we don't trust our brothers and sisters in Christ. I sincerely believe our lack of trust is ... biblical. Off the top of my head, I see this warning to Jeremiah, correction in this matter given to Josiah, Paul's and John's expressions of pain about other church leaders betraying them, and even Jesus himself structuring concentric circles of trust in his followers.
Yes, perhaps our 'circle' is smaller than it should be. However, we have reasons and past experiences. We have seen our own pastor reputationally attacked by other pastors, and we have been lied about by church members and close work associates alike. There is a difference between sharing time with others, serving together, enjoying life together with a group of believers and friends, and trusting everyone. There are times I wish I trusted more. Perhaps, however, it is best to know that we must not race against horses.
Prayer: Lord, I trust in you alone, for in truth you are the only entity in the universe to be trusted. I thank you for the people in my life. Please give me wisdom about how to interact with them in love and service. Amen.
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