VIRTUE REQUIRES THAT YOU BE TRUSTWORTHY – Proverbs 31:11
Proverbs 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
What are some of the inner qualities of virtue? The very first one that is mentioned in this list of qualities is trust. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines trust as “Confidence, a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.” Solomon was advised from his youth that when he chose a spouse, he must choose a spouse who he could trust. If he did not have confidence in her integrity, then how could he expect to have an oneness of spirit with his wife?
Marriage is the bringing of two separate individuals together to become one in the sight of God. If that relationship starts out with two individuals who cannot trust the other then that relationship will be extremely shaky and eventually, if there is no fear of God involved, the relationship will crumble as the parties seek their own pleasure elsewhere.
You have an obligation to God to add virtue to your life which means that you must live your life in a trustworthy manner. This means that others can look at you and see that you are a man or woman of integrity. If you say that you are going to do something, regardless of the consequences to your own life, you follow through. It should be obvious to those around you that if they share something with you in confidence that you will not be the person who is sharing it in the local gossip chain.
Every close friendship must be built upon trust. David and Jonathan trusted each other. Even though Saul desired to kill David, David trusted Jonathan to discover the truth of the matter and relay that information to him. David did not worry about Jonathan betraying him or setting up an ambush whereby he might be trapped and killed by Saul.
Whether you are seeking a spouse or desire to have a close friend, one of the things that you must look for in the relationship is your ability to trust the other person. If there is no trust, then the relationship will never deepen. You cannot control whether someone is trustworthy, but you can control whether you are trustworthy. Whether you add virtue to your life is up to you.
When soldiers fight, they must be able to trust that their fellow soldiers are going to hold their ground. An army is only as strong as its weakest link. A relationship is also only as strong as each party is able to trust the other individual. If there is even a shade of doubt, that relationship will slowly begin to crumble.
It is your duty to add virtue to your own life so that when others look at you they can trust you. You cannot expect to have a great relationship with either a friend or a spouse if they are trustworthy but you lack virtue and are not a trustworthy individual. You are accountable to God for your actions, and as you remain faithful to HIM, HE will be able to bless you in your friendships in ways you never imagined.
A friendship or a marital relationship where both parties can trust each other is extremely valuable. If God has blessed you with such a relationship, thank HIM for it and strive to work together to draw closer to HIM. If God has not blessed you with such a friendship, then it is your duty to change your life and seek for those who have done the same.