WHOM CAN WE TRUST? Rev. Richard S. Vosko Some of us may recall a television program back in the 1970s called “Who Do You

 WHOM CAN WE TRUST?

Rev. Richard S. Vosko

Some of us may recall a television program back in the 1970s called “Who Do You

Trust.” (I know. School teachers protested it should be “Whom Do You Trust?”)

The contestants were married couples with unique backgrounds. Each partner

could either answer a question about their relationship or “trust” the other to tell the

truth.

We hear the word “trust” a lot lately. Insurance companies and media outlets

confidently advertise “coverage you can trust.” Why is the word trust so important

today? Marketing professionals know that the reason for long term loyalty to any

product is “brand” trust. Auto dealers send you a note “Thank you for your trust and

loyalty.” The same could be said about human relationships. They are best built on

trust.

The word trust is dependent on the word truth. Isn’t that what we want these days?

Someone we can trust to just please tell us the truth! But both words are used

interchangeably so their definitions are somewhat muddled.

If my sets of truths do not agree with someone else’s truths which one of us is

telling the truth? And, how did I learn that what I believe to be the truth, is the truth? Is

there such a thing anymore that we can call “THE truth?”

I know you must be thinking: “Wait. Didn’t Jesus tell us he is the “way, the truth,

the light.” (John 14:6) So maybe trust and truth are linked to faith in God.

Presumably, for those who believe in God, “faith” means the substance of things

hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Is it possible to have faith

in something or someone without trust? For ages we have believed that God will deliver

what we hope for. That’s why we pray to God. And, we also have learned from more

contemporary theologies that God trusts in us to deliver the truth, to work for justice.

Thinking about who we can trust to tell the truth is why today’s biblical texts require

close attention. The gospel (Luke 16:10-13) tells us bluntly … if we cannot be trusted in

small matters what makes us think we can handle the big ones. This gospel stresses

the long-standing commitment of God and God’s people to social and economic justice.

It also can address other aspects of our lives.

Can we be trusted to tell the truth? How do we invest our talents and gifts for the

common good? How do we approach hardships, difficulties or divisions in our lives?

Can children trust their parents, teachers, coaches, clergy? Can you trust me, right

now, to speak the truth? Perhaps another story will help.21 September 2025 25th Sunday Ordinary Time of

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Amos is the chief protagonist in the first reading (Amos 8:4-7). He was a simple

herdsman living in the hills of Tekoa, south of Bethlehem, in what is now the West

Bank. He did not want to be a prophet. He was happy living in the countryside with his

animal friends. Besides he did not want anything to do with city dwellers who were, in

his mind, self-absorbed, vengeful and deceitful.

Something came over Amos. He felt the “fire of justice” in his bones and so he

spoke out against social injustices and religious arrogance. He was not worried about

any repercussions. He trusted his own instincts to tell the truth about those corrupt

Israelites. They were taking delight in living at the expense of other people. Amos was

holding the Israelites accountable for their transgressions.

The second reading (1 Timothy 2:1-8) uses the teachings of Paul to guide church

order in the second century. The major concern was to preserve the faith against false

teachings. The offenders are not named but the author exhorts people to stay away

from those who cannot be trusted but to pray for them.

Biblical scholar David Carr wrote that the author undercuts any human claims to

sociopolitical power over other people — “there is also one mediator between God and

humankind.” No one in a leadership role should be allowed to govern or teach in ways

that serve their own interests and ideologies that would deny the human rights of

others. We pray for such people so that all humans can live in peace and harmony

without feat.

This biblical text reminds us to think of humanity and the environment we live in as

part of the creative activity of a nurturing God. That colossal love was revealed in the

teachings of the Jewish Jesus of Nazareth. We gather here for worship trusting in those

teachings. And at the same we pray for those who “abhor justice and pervert all equity.”

(Micah 3:9)

So, whom can we trust to establish a common ground in our own nation? We are

wrestling with that question today. Pope Leo, pondering how to deal with pressing

global problems, said in a recent interview that he “trusts human nature.” Perhaps we

should as well.

We can do the do-ables like Amos and other prophets. In non-violent ways we can

continue to proclaim with unrestricted voices that all human beings are created in the

image and likeness of God. And, we make that claim knowing that we have been

entrusted with the responsibility to protect one another’s human rights to live peacefully and justly.