Circle of Trust

Circle of Trust

If you've seen the movie "Meet The Parents" you know  the "circle of trust" that Robert DeNiro''s character Jack uses as he is suspicious of his potential future son-in-law Ben Stiller's character Greg Focker.

But, as I think about that it is true that we need to surround ourselves with the right people and protect ourselves from those who don't have our best interests in mind.  I am not saying we have to isolate ourselves, but I think we need to use "wisdom" and "discernment" in our lives as far as who be befriend, trust, and let into our lives in a close and personal way.

So many people get hurt or allow others to ruin their lives by being too-trusting, naive, being insecure, attention seeking, etc...and it's not healthy to have or want those type of relationships based on those factors.  Whether you are young or old, you shouldn't base your relationships dating, friend, and even family based on the wrong motives or feelings.

We need to have real, sincere, authentic, and healthy relationships in our lives and we should return the favor.  So many times we may let someone into our lives because we are lonely, they are popular, we think being friends with them or dating them will make us more important or noticeable, or even fill a void.  We make friends with certain people for selfish reasons.   It's a two-way street. Sometimes we use people and sometimes people use us.  This is wrong and we need to correct this type of behavior or we will continue having unhealthy relationships. How can we have healthy relationships?

First, understand you are worth healthy and good relationships. God's desire for each of us is to have loving, healthy, trustworthy relationships in our lives.  Secondly, base your relationships on right and righteous motives. Thirdly, be selective of who you trust and allow into your lives.  Fourthly, be the type of friend or partner or relative that you want in your life.

We need to surround ourselves with people that care about us and who are not in our lives for selfish, unhealthy, or wrong reasons and vice versa.  We need to realize we are never going to have healthy or trusting relationships if we ourselves are not in the right mindset and doing things the way God desires for us. God created us for relationship.  God wants a relationship with us and He wants us to have relationships with others, but they need to be healthy, pure, sincere, unconditional, and selfless.

Whether you are young or old, you need to allow and make good relationships. Find people that truly care about you and not who you are or what you can do for them and be that type of person yourself to others.  How many horrible friendships, dating relationships, marriages, or working relationships could have been avoided if we used a little discernment, wisdom, had some self-respect, and use God as your model and example of what healthy relationships should and can be.

You are WHAT AND WHO you surround yourself with.  Be selective and smart about  who you let in your circle of trust.

 Proverbs 12:22niv

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.