It’s an endless, vicious cycle of America’s institutions jockeying for position. The TV elite say you shouldn’t trust the Supreme Court, the president says you can’t trust Congress, and churches often tell us to beware of the government. It’s the old case of blowing out someone else’s candle so yours will shine brighter.
And, yes, it’s confusing sometimes, but it should give you pause the next time you want to turn on the news, pick up a newspaper, or blindlessly listen to leaders. Through it all, we watch the old system of the pot calling the kettle black, and they all seem to be cut from the same cloth, like two peas in a pod.
So who do you trust these days? Apparently, no one! Mind-boggling, I know, but Gallup is here to help us sort through all of this. Oh, and so is the Bible, and we’ll get there in a minute.
In its annual survey of Americans in June, Gallup reported “significant declines” in 11 of 16 institutions they tracked. You can see the full results of their survey here. As you can see in the graphic, small businesses, the military, and even the police have more of our trust than most institutions. But it gets funny — and sad — from there.
Isn’t it amusing that the so-called television news media enjoys telling us how much we dislike (or they dislike) politicians or leaders? They are keen to quote studies or surveys demonstrating how little Americans trust institutions like the Supreme Court, the presidency or even religion in America? Wait, what? All along, the media is nearly the least-trusted institution in the country today, according to the Gallup survey — second from the bottom only to the U.S. Congress.
Other than Congress — which comes in with a whopping seven percent confidence rating — only 11 percent of Americans trust television news shows. Eleven percent! That’s about 1 in 10 (I’m curious who the “1” is). We’ve heard so much in recent years about social distancing, but perhaps we should practice distancing ourselves from the media for a change.
Indeed, we are living 2 Timothy 3 (here it is for convenience), including the warning from Paul that we should “continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of because you know those from whom you learned it…” (2 Timothy 3:14 NIV).
This brings us to what the Bible has to say. The Bible is replete with admonitions for us to put our trust in God, and there are countless examples of men who did just that.
- “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” ~Proverbs 29:25.
- “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” ~Psalm 37:3.
- “In God, whose word I praise — in God, I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” ~Psalm 56:4.
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” ~Proverbs 3:5.
- “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people.” ~Psalm 118:8.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we are instructed to obey our leaders, but there is little said in scripture about putting our trust there. On the contrary, we can list scripture all day long about placing our trust in God.
If you are looking for news about what’s happening today, you’ll most often find more breaking news in the Bible than on CNN, Fox, ABC, NBC or CBS. There’s more “news you can use” or “fair and balanced” commentary. In fact, the Bible will have “the news you want, when you want it”, and it’s “the name you know, the news you need.” It’s “all the news that’s fit to print”.
To be sure, trust is a fragile thing, especially when we hand it out carelessly. But it is easier to place it in what you can see instead of something — or someone — you cannot. There are ways you can get ahead and stay ahead. We suggested a few ideas a couple of years ago, and you can check ’em out here. It will help you maintain your sanity and provide a clear perspective in a blurry world.
While it isn’t surprising, the Gallup survey provides an insight into our hearts’ condition and our country’s status. And it should alert and remind Christians to steer clear of the cynicism and wariness in our society.