Are We Trusted and Are We Trustworthy?

My family is heavily populated by people with a communications and journalism background.  My undergraduate degree is in communications, my youngest brother is a newspaper editor and publisher, my oldest son holds a degree in broadcast communications while his wife is trained as a print journalist, my other daughter-in-law is a free lance writer previously serving as a newspaper editor and the young man dating my daughter is a sports broadcasting producer and director.  I’m not searching for kudos here nor seeking sympathy but I do want to offer some transparency before launching into this column.

In today’s news came the latest tracking data on the press from the Pew Research Center.  It’s enough to make the press depressed.  The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press has been at this since 1985 but the just released findings reveal public confidence in the media at an all time low.  A significant 66% say that news stories often are inaccurate, an even larger 77% believe stories to be imbalanced and a whopping 80% think reporting is influenced by power brokers and organizations.  One wonders if these findings will headline newscasts tonight. 

If there is any silver lining here for those drawing a paycheck from the press it is in the fact that people reported much higher trust in their own choice of media than the media in general.  The news corps also rated higher than business and government so they are not at the bottom of the stack of American institutions.

The growing dissatisfaction with the American media should give Christians pause.  We are, after all, very much involved in the communications business.  We are God’s Plan A to share His life and love with the world and God has no Plan B.  If we fail, the world fails to hear.  Twin questions must be answered by those desiring a hearing of the Gospel message.  Are we trusted and are we trustworthy are those nagging questions.

Are we trusted?  Sometimes we are; sometimes we aren’t.  Christians are not always viewed more positively than some of the disliked facets of society like the media, business and government.  Will the public listen to the old, old story in this brave new world?  If they listen will they find the truth we tell credible?  There are many factors in this equation like the modern mood for non-commitment and the disdain for absolutes not to mention the stubborn presence of sin.  Though we have little or no control over much of this, one thing which will greatly influence the question of trust is trustworthiness.

Are we trustworthy?  Friends, family, classmates, co-workers and neighbors may and may not find us trustworthy.  Sadly, distrust has often replaced the trust that once existed between us and those we are responsible to communicate the Gospel to.  Earning trust is frequently tough but regaining trust is always tougher.  If I lie about my finances how will anyone trust what I have to say about my faith?  If my behavior is suspect will my belief not be also?  If my word is not my bond why would others trust what I claim to be God’s Word?

Christians often shout and scream a lot about so called “Christian bashing” by the media which leads to media bashing by many Christians.  The truth is we both face the same dilemma; the growing creditability gap in our world.  The questions we must face along with our friends in the media are we trusted and are we trustworthy?  To the first, I pray that we will be and to the second, I pray that we are.

This column originally appeared in The Daily Press