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Mixed Reviews

  • November 3, 2025
  • Posted by: Carolyn Mahal
  • Category: Devotions
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Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:5-8

“If you can tell the difference between good advice and bad advice, you don’t need advice.” – Laurence J. Peter

As I grow older and gain the wisdom that only comes from experience, I have learned a few things. It’s nothing too profound, mostly, they are observations that have been consistently demonstrated over time by multiple people.

One of these observations is that people choose to put their trust in odd things for what I think are odd reasons. This was less prevalent when I was younger because the available pool of information sources was much smaller. Having instant access to the Internet on our handheld computers that we still call phones has been a game changer. I’m not anti-technology. A GPS is far superior to a road map, an atlas, or a Trip-Tik from AAA (remember those?). What I have noticed is the GPS has led to a significant increase in our confidence in travel. Years ago, a road trip meant doing your research first. Today, hopping in the car and driving four states away without knowing where you’re going or how you’ll get there is no big deal. “I’ll just follow the GPS,” we declare, and away we go.

Thankfully, it works out most of the time, but is it 100% accurate? Does your GPS ever get it wrong? Has it given you a route that wasn’t the fastest or most direct? Has it led you on a weird, nonsensical shortcut or through a bad part of town? If you’ve done any amount of driving, the answer to all these questions is yes. The information is still extremely helpful in getting you to your destination, but sometimes, you and your GPS may disagree on which route is the best.

Some will counter my thoughts by saying this is a better and safer system than pulling over to a gas station and asking a random person how to get where you want to be. They’re right. Putting trust in the knowledge of a stranger has risks. So why then do we as travelers put our trust into the thoughts of random people who leave online reviews of hotels, restaurants, and other attractions? Some may value these reviews provided by “real people” offering “real critiques” of places they’ve visited and services they have received. And sometimes, that is what they are. The trouble is, how do I weed out the people who were so emotionally charged by an experience that they were moved to share a glowing report about a true slice of heaven on earth or drop a scathing criticism of the worst experience of their life? Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s false. It’s hard to tell because I don’t know the person who is saying it. I’m making my decision based on the words of a total stranger.

Why would I do that?

Of course, choosing a lunch spot or a dry cleaner isn’t a major life decision. But what if we’re seeking advice about a new job or renting a wedding venue? Aren’t we smarter than that? Not necessarily. If I am being honest, I must admit that I’ve spent years hiring hundreds of people based in part on reference calls made to a total stranger, selected by the candidate because this person will tell me nice things about the candidate. So much for objectivity!

Trust issues are nothing new. The prophet Jeremiah wrote his book over 2,500 years ago and even then; people were putting their trust in the wrong places. God’s direction in verse five is clear. “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Time and time again, we have seen people in the scriptures, in history books, and in our own lives, put their trust in their own intellect or the brilliant ideas of others with disastrous results. That’s because the intelligence of man is nothing compared with that of our heavenly Father. People who follow God’s will for their lives have the benefit of knowing that their path is being shown to them by its Creator. Who would know more about our lives than the One who created life in the first place?

Sadly, many people make themselves the sole decision maker while disregarding God’s plans for them. They believe they can do better, that God doesn’t care about small matters, or simply, that God doesn’t exist. Whatever the reason, they cut Him out and set off on their own. For a time, they may even do well. Many non-believers lead successful lives, filled with wealth and comfort. But what happens when they find themselves struggling? Fame, power, fortune, and social status can afford you many things, but can they guarantee happiness, repair broken relationships, offer peace, or provide comfort in knowing your place in the universe now and for eternity? Worldly solutions are often a compromise that smooths over tensions while simultaneously not addressing the root cause of the problems – sin.

As Christians, we understand sin’s devastating effects. We also know that we have no way to fix this. Thankfully, God has chosen to provide for us the solution we need. Like the trees planted by the water in the passage from Jeremiah, we must connect ourselves with the abundance of God. His love for us provides everything we need to weather the storms of life caused by our sin. God sent Jesus into the world to save us from those sins, and His Spirit lives within us to fortify our faith by making it possible for us to put our trust in Him and His word. May we seek out God’s will for our lives. In good times and bad, He will guide and protect us until He ultimately leads us home to be with Him for an eternity in Heaven – which I hear has nothing but five-star reviews!

 

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

Senior Director of Operations