“8. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”

As a kid, I really enjoyed watching hunting videos on the television. As I got older, I always looked forward to the big buck video that would be coming out next! There was one particular group I really enjoyed watching. Before I had any sense, I always felt I had to use the same equipment that they had because that was a sure way to be successful. I’ve never had a big interest in meeting famous people, but if I could meet one, it would be an individual from this particular hunting crew.

It was a handful of years ago I had the opportunity to go to a large hunting show in the south. I was excited when I saw the ad that this one individual was going to be there. I’ve watched this guy kill animals since I was a kid and the thought of being able to meet him brought some excitement.

As we walked through the show, we stumbled upon the booth that was full of the hunting crew I was looking forward to meet. The one individual that I really wanted to see was there and greeted us in a very friendly manner. He gave my kids some free gear and gave all his attention to everyone in the family but me. As we stood there in conversation, I don’t know that he acknowledged me with more than a “Hi”. As we stood there together it was as if I wasn’t even there. We all got our picture together then moved on to other parts of the booth to meet the rest of the crew. Another famous face sat there at a table and wouldn’t even acknowledge our presence. He seemed to be having a bad day for some reason. We did talk to some others that were very friendly and very genuine, but with a lifelong desire to meet some of these folks, I must say, I was a bit disappointed.

I’m not saying these were bad guys, they run a business, and even talk about the Lord from time to time. It seems as if they probably know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. I’m sure many others have had much better encounters with these particular two, but I was a bit let down. I’ve spent many years of my life wanting to meet these folks, but I walked away realizing that people are just people regardless of their position. The Lord taught me that looking up to a man can bring discouragement.

We could take this even a little further. There have been certain people in the ministry that I have looked up to over the course of my ministry. There were times when I thought I want to have a ministry just like theirs. As I’ve grown closer to the Lord and even studied the Bible more, I have wondered if some certain individuals are even walking with the Lord. Be careful, your relationship can easily become a ritual if you get lifted up with the success God gives you.

Today, there are soulwinners from the past that won’t even step foot into a church because they put too much faith into a man that failed. Look at the verse again, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” In this context the word better means more safe. Let me ask this question, who are you putting on a pedestal today? Is it a preacher? A man or woman in the church? A spouse? A child? Warning! They are going to fail you in some way. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned…” There is nothing wrong in having confidence in someone but remember you will be more safe if your trust in the Lord is far greater than any man. The Devil wants us to trust more in a man because he knows that man will fail. Additionally, he knows that other believers will hold grudges and hatred towards that individual for a long time, they may not ever forgive them either. That is a huge problem in our churches today. We put all our confidence in man, then fall away from serving the Lord when they fail. Remember, “It is better to trust in the Lord…” When we trust in the Lord, it gives us the ability to love and help those that fall, rather than hate them. What’s your story? Who do you talk about most in your life? An individual, or the Lord Jesus Christ? “It is better to trust in the Lord…”

Memory Verse

Psalm 118:8

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”