At every turn we’re bombarded with sales pitches and promises to make our lives better. And many of these products and services can be very helpful, while many others are a waste of time and money. We must do our due diligence throughout our life and relationships to determine how to best use the time and resources given to us, and how to live by faith.
Of course, there are times in which we believe simply because we trust the person telling us. But like the Samaritans who did their due diligence by listening to Jesus for themselves, we must also do the same – to engage in a reasonable investigation to ensure we’re acting in good faith.
A good faith here is simply a faith that is our own. It’s bad faith not to do our due diligence and to just go along with what’s popular or what others tell us to do.
This doesn’t mean we have to become a doctor or lawyer, for instance, and understand all the ends and outs of a particular issue before we’re able to move forward. But it is doing our part to make reasonable and informed decisions.
For example, we do our due diligence before undergoing major surgery or purchasing a new house. This is not to be suspicious of the surgeon or realtor, but we have the responsibility to make our own decision on these issues and not just take others at their word.
And this remains true throughout our life and relationships.
To be sure, part of adulthood is doing our due diligence in establishing our guiding principles rather than just blindly following our parents. And we must continue making thoughtful considerations when it comes to marriage, issues of public policy, and even matters of faith.
We’re not living by faith whenever we just buy whatever others are selling us without doing our due diligence.
In the end, don’t just take others at their word. This is not about being distrustful, but rather it’s exercising the needed wisdom to make informed decisions throughout our life in faith.
Photo by Malte Helmhold on Unsplash
