Our Daily Bread: Beyond Camp Family EditionSample

Who to Trust

A teenage boy in Lima, Peru, bought a puppy and brought it home. The boy’s family enjoyed having a new pet, and the animal seemed to bond with the local dogs.

But six months later, the creature developed a bushy tail, pointed head, and odd behavior. Neighbors complained it had been chasing and eating their chickens. That’s when the boy and his family realized their “dog” was actually an Andean fox!

Met any animal friends at camp? Be careful to make sure you know what they truly are!

Like the behavior of foxes and dogs, people’s actions reveal who they truly are. Jesus warned His followers to look out for untruthful teachers who seemed harmless but who inwardly were “vicious wolves.” In the book of Matthew, He said, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.”

Anyone who used others to satisfy a ravenous appetite for power, money, or pleasure couldn’t be from God because the Spirit generates very different fruit—like kindness, goodness, and self-control, as we read in the book of Galatians.

Jesus didn’t just preach this message; He lived it by modeling how to serve others even when you’re a leader. He never compromised God’s truth. He spent time with people who were rejected by society. He patiently trained disciples to carry His message forward.

If we ever wonder who to trust, we can ask Jesus for discernment and look for how His influence is visible over time in the life of anyone who claims to know God.

Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Why is it important for us to follow trustworthy leaders? How do people show us what's in their hearts by their words and actions?

Jesus, thank You for caring enough about us to show us who to trust. Please continue to lead and guide us.