23/06/2026
The Secret
A pastor and a member of his church made a house call on a rich man. They were seeking donations for another man who had suffered a heart attack. The sick man had no insurance and couldn’t afford to pay his medical bills.
The rich man greeted the pastor and his companion warmly and listened as the pastor briefly described the desperate plight of the sick man. “We are asking you for a generous gift,” the pastor concluded.
“Who is the sick man?” the host asked.
The pastor shook his head. “Rarely do we reveal the names of people in need. In this case, it’s most difficult for the man to admit that he needs charity.”
“If I am to be of help, I insist on knowing the identity of the man in need. I will keep it in strictest confidence. I was going to give you $500, but if you tell me the man’s name, I will increase the gift to $1,000.”
“We will not reveal the man’s name, ” the pastor repeated, shaking his head.
“Two thousand dollars, then. Surely you wouldn’t refuse that amount.”
“I will not break confidence, ” the pastor insisted. His companion couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Taking a deep breath, the rich man said, “Three thousand dollars.”
Before the pastor could respond, his companion pleaded with him, “Pastor, three thousand dollars will cover almost all of the hospital bills. He is an honorable man. He will keep the secret.”
The pastor walked toward the door. “I should have left long ago. The trust and honor of a man are not open to the highest bidder, regardless of the sum of money. I have other visits to make. We will get the money elsewhere.”
Before the pastor could leave the house, the rich man begged him to meet together privately in the next room. The moment they were alone he broke into tears. “Reverend, I recently lost every penny I had saved. I am not able to make even a token payment on the mortgage. I have wanted to go to someone for help, but I couldn’t stand the idea of everyone in town knowing that I am a failure.”
“Now I understand, ” the pastor said tenderly. “You were testing me to see if I could be trusted with your secret. I will seek funds for you as well as for the man who is sick. What you have told me will be kept in confidence.”
The two men bid their host farewell and headed off to the place of their next visit. “Well, pastor,” said the companion, “how much did he give you?”
The pastor smiled and then playfully shook a finger at his friend, “Shame on you. You know such things are a secret.”
Where to Take It from Here…
How good is your word? Can you be trusted? Most of us are like the pastor’s friend. We find it hard to believe that someone would keep his word—especially when large sums of money are involved. After all, the end justifies the means, right?
God can be trusted with every thought, every desire, every problem we face, every doubt we have, every sin we commit. He can be trusted to listen to us and to keep his word to us. When he says he will forgive and forget, we can put that in the bank. Our sins are gone, forever. God doesn’t hold grudges. He won’t betray us. God is absolutely reliable and trustworthy.
Trust
