UNTRUSTWORTHY
Genesis 42:37-38
"Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, 'Kill my two sons if I do not bring [Benjamin] back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.' But [Jacob] said, 'My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.' "
Reuben, as the oldest of the brothers, should have been the most dependable and responsible of the family. But Jacob knows his sons well, and he knows that Reuben, for all his grand speaking, cannot be trusted to live up to his word. He is not reliable. When Jacob pronounced blessings on his sons, he called Reuben "unstable as water" (Genesis 49:3). Now Reuben is making a rash promise that Jacob knows he cannot control or keep. Reuben knows for sure that Jacob would not kills his two sons, so that guarantee was worthless. Reuben was all mouth, but his words meant nothing to Jacob because Reuben had proven himself untrustworthy. Trust is earned over time, and Reuben had demonstrated that he could not be trusted. I want my life to back up my words so that I can be trusted. It is important to say what I mean, and mean what I say, so that my words are not just hot air.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Trust is a precious commodity that is earned over time, but can easily be lost.
[end]
Have a "trustworthy" day. Love you.
Genesis 42:37-38
"Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, 'Kill my two sons if I do not bring [Benjamin] back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.' But [Jacob] said, 'My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.' "
Reuben, as the oldest of the brothers, should have been the most dependable and responsible of the family. But Jacob knows his sons well, and he knows that Reuben, for all his grand speaking, cannot be trusted to live up to his word. He is not reliable. When Jacob pronounced blessings on his sons, he called Reuben "unstable as water" (Genesis 49:3). Now Reuben is making a rash promise that Jacob knows he cannot control or keep. Reuben knows for sure that Jacob would not kills his two sons, so that guarantee was worthless. Reuben was all mouth, but his words meant nothing to Jacob because Reuben had proven himself untrustworthy. Trust is earned over time, and Reuben had demonstrated that he could not be trusted. I want my life to back up my words so that I can be trusted. It is important to say what I mean, and mean what I say, so that my words are not just hot air.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Trust is a precious commodity that is earned over time, but can easily be lost.
[end]
Have a "trustworthy" day. Love you.
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