Introduction
In academic circles a favourite type of question to ask in an exam or an essay starts with the words ‘compare and contrast’. The task is to discuss the differences and similarities between two different ideas or situations, to show where they are the same and where they are different. Here, in Jeremiah 17:5-8, two different types of people are considered, they are seen in stark contrast, they have very few similarities, apart from the fact that they both trust in some being.
We all have to put our trust, our final reliance, in someone or something. It might be God, or it might be another person. Of course, we are all constantly putting some degree of trust in others, for example trusting that the driver of the bus we are in will not suddenly veer off the road and crash. What is meant here is not that kind of trust, but the kind of trust in which there is a deep hope and reliance, the thing we expect to hold firm when everything else fails. For many people that trust is in themselves. But the choices in who to trust can be reduced to just two. Is it a human being, or is it God? That is the stark choice, and Jeremiah describes these two choices to us and explains the consequences of each. Let’s have a look at what the Bible has to say here.
Trust in man
The fashion today is to look towards the self as being the only source of trust. Self-help groups and manuals abound and there is a basic distrust of others, particularly of people in authority or leadership of any kind. This is a reaction to the failure of leaders of the past, who have led their people into dreadful wars and times of trouble, who have promised much but have delivered little. Who have been placed in positions of responsibility, but have betrayed the trust placed in them and have served only themselves.
The human race has been shown time and time again, both corporately and individually, to be both feeble and sinful. The reading here talks of the arm of flesh, just flesh, no bone, no support to it. People might not mean to fail, but they often do not have the power to not to. We are all overwhelmed at times by forces and circumstances over which we have no strength. There is a song that has had words slightly changed for the current edition of the songbook. It used to say:-
God is with us, God is with us,
So our great forefathers sang,
Far across the field of battle,
Lo their Holy war cry rang
Never once they feared or faltered
Never once they ceased to sing,
God is with is, God is with us!
Christ our Lord shall reign as king!
The change occurred in the fifth line – ‘never once they feared or faltered’ has been changed to the more accurate – ‘though at times they feared and faltered’. All men and women, even the strongest and the bravest fear and falter at times, and fail to deliver. Trusting in humanity, other people or ourselves has dire consequences.
Results of trust in man
The person who trusts in man is here likened to a desert plant, a piece of desert scrub. These plants are small and spindly. They are dry, they have no fruit. All their effort must be put into getting the tiny bit of moisture that they are able to reach. They live on salty, barren, uninhabited land, where, even if they did grow in beauty, nobody would see them or enjoy them. They were made for a hard existence on the margins. There is nobody to tend them, few insects to pollinate them, or birds and animals to carry their seeds. They rely for survival solely on their own resources, and have become adapted to just relying on themselves.
In Britain we are fortunate to live in a land where, on the whole, we get sufficient rainfall for all our needs, and do not experience serious shortages of water. However do sometimes have hot, dry summers. We had one a few years ago when, in order to conserve supplies, the use of hosepipes was banned. People were unable to water their gardens and many plants died. The next year draught-proof plants were all the rage, these types of desert plants were being bought for gardens and some people were not growing the normal types of plants at all. Then, you’ve guessed it, the summer was wet. It was constantly pouring with rain. These drought-proof plants were, unfortunately, not flood-proof. Many of them died and gardens were ruined. They just could not take advantage of the times of plenty.
If we trust in man, rather than God, we can end up like that. We put all our energy into survival, so we cannot spare any to give fruit. We cannot have those qualities in our lives that bless others. We become dry, with nothing to give. Our interactions with other people do not leave them blessed or strengthened or encouraged. We do not display the beauty and the holiness of Christ in our lives.
What is more, when God moves close in times of blessing, we cannot benefit from it, we cannot enjoy it, we cannot receive the blessings that God wants to give us, because we have so adapted ourselves to living on our own resources that we cannot receive from him. We can sit here while others are being moved by God, experiencing his blessing, worshipping him for his holiness, and spend our time thinking about what we are going to do next, or what has happened in the week just gone and the blessing of God does not touch or move us in the slightest.
Trust in God
The other possibility that is given is to put our trust in God.
In contrast to fallible humans, God is the unfailing one, the one who has never been known to fail or to let anyone down. He is the one who keeps all his promises and always delivered what he has said he will.
Trusting in God has very different consequences to trusting in man.
Results of trust in God
In contrast to the dried-up plants of the desert, the person who puts their trust in God is likened to a strong, fruitful tree. The waters, or rivers, by which this tree is planted were probably irrigation channels, deliberately dug for the purpose of watering the land. The sense of the scripture here is that it was planted deliberately and carefully in a place where it would be bound to flourish. The channels were kept flowing at all times of year and in all weathers. Even in times of draught they flowed on, watering and moistening the soil around them. A tree planted beside them would be able to spread out its roots along the banks, and grow tall and strong. It would not need to put all its effort into finding water, so it would be able to give fruit and to be of use. Such a tree does not rely just on itself for survival, but also on the people who tend it and ensure that the waters continue to flow.
A person who puts their trust in God is first described as ‘blessed’ or ‘happy’, unlike the others who are described as ‘cursed’.
Such a person is like the tree by the water. God provides an endless source of blessing and strength, flowing all the time, no matter what happens in life. Just as the tree can develop roots to reach along the banks to take full advantage of all the water, so a person could develop spiritual roots to reach out and receive all the blessings that God is wishing to give to them. At times when God comes close they know it and are able to be close to him, to spend time with him and enjoy him. They do not rely on themselves for survival and blessing, but on the one who gives them their water, their nourishment, their blessings.
But this flourishing tree is not just growing for its own benefit. It grows tall and strong, and is leafy, so that people can shelter from the fierce heat of the sun under it. Fruit grows, a valuable source of food, vitamins and nourishment. When we grow like this tree people who are suffering from the difficulties of this life can come to us and find relief. They can be nourished from being with us and strengthened and blessed, brought close to the one true God who is the source of all joy.
At a first reading, it might seem that the second part of verse 8, where it states that a man who trusts in the Lord ‘shall not see when heat cometh’, is a promise that by trusting in the Lord, we can avoid hard times. But it does not mean that. When it says ‘shall not see’, it has the sense and the meaning of ‘shall not feel’. In other words, these times of draught will still hit us, but they shall not cause us damage. Because the channels are still flowing we can still be strong and useful to others.
Therefore the choice is clear. Trust in man who will fail you, you will whether and dry and be of no use to anyone, or trust in God and be well watered, giving shade to others.
