Trustworthy or Untrustworthy?

The College Football season is heating up as we head into Week 9. With plenty of upsets and surprising teams making noise, questions are swirling about which teams are best and which have the best chance of making the College Football Playoff.

ESPN.com has an article titled, "Connelly on Week 8: Who in College Football Can and Can't Be Trusted."

In the article, Bill Connelly discusses how, for the third week in a row, a top-2-ranked team lost to an unranked team, as BYU fell to UCF. It was another example of how chaotic this season remains.

One week a team has a huge win, and the next, it follows it up with a major loss. Just when we think a team can’t be stopped, it loses at home to an unexpected team.

So what teams can we trust?

Although it may be challenging to decide which teams and players to count on, ESPN’s Bill Connelly shares his take on “who you can trust and who you can’t.”

Below is a snapshot of his article:

• Trustworthy: Texas' defense

• Untrustworthy: The SEC

• Trustworthy: Miami

• Untrustworthy: Texas Tech's offense

• Trustworthy: The Big Ten

• Untrustworthy (For Now): Josh Hoover

• Trustworthy: Sam Leavitt

• Untrustworthy: College football

In addition to college football, other situations across the NFL are also worth considering if we trust them or not:

• Do we trust the 6-0 Minnesota Vikings?

• Do we trust the Bears' defense?

• Do we trust Jim Harbaugh to turn the Chargers around?

• Do we trust J.J. McCarthy to lead the Giants to the playoffs?

• Have we lost our trust in the Panthers?

• Do we trust the 5-2 Browns or 5-2 Steelers more?

Based on how closely we follow specific teams or conferences, and what teams have shown so far this season, the bottom line is that some teams, coaches, and situations warrant trust, while others don't.

In life, who do we trust, and what do we trust? Who do we find trustworthy and why?

Thankfully, we can trust Jesus for our salvation, and we can also trust Him every day as we face life's challenges. As we follow Him closely and consider everything God has already shown us, we can trust Him with confidence.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) tells us, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."

We can also trust in God's character, His power, faithfulness, and goodness. We can trust that His Word is true and He will fulfill His promises.

Psalm 111:7 (ESV) says, "The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy…"

Psalm 145:13 (NIV) declares, "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does."

On the flip side, just as some football teams can't be trusted, we, as followers of Jesus, must remember what we don't trust.

We don't trust ourselves, our limited understanding and meager strength, to do meaningful things on our own, apart from God, and we don't trust other people to do what only God can do.

As we read in Jeremiah 17:5 (ESV), "Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.’"

Proverbs 28:26 (TLB) states, "A man is a fool to trust himself! But those who use God's wisdom are safe."

Psalm 118:8 (ESV) adds, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."

We must also be diligent not to trust everything we hear without testing it according to Scripture.

1 John 4:1(NLT) warns us, "Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the Spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world."

Just as college football has many untrustworthy teams, but ultimately one team worthy of trust as it wins the National Championship, there is only one God worthy of trust. Therefore, let's continue to seek Him and follow Him.

Let's proclaim Psalm 28:7 (ESV): "The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him."

I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I trust in You, Your promises, and Your character. Help me not to trust in myself or people more than I trust in You. I know I can’t trust myself or others the way I trust You. Thank you for letting me know You and for being my strength and my shield. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.