Know, Like, Trust Jesus

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:19 NIV)

There’s this idea in marketing that I think applies to discipleship.

To get someone to buy from you, first they must know, like and trust you.

It often gets reduced to “know, like, trust” and can be viewed as stages to help someone become ready to buy.

There can be exceptions, someone might know and trust a company without liking them, but it’s a good rule. After all, you’d be a lot happier to give your money to someone who you know, like and trust.

It’s the same with our lives.

Was Jesus Wise?

In his recent book, Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer comments that there are plenty of people who think Jesus was Holy and even God, but they don’t really think he was wise or offering good practical advice.

The net effect?

They don’t follow him.

Sure, they might declare that they believe in him but their lives look just the same as any other person (with a few different songs and a couple of hours on Sunday).

Basically, they know him, maybe even like him, but they certainly don’t trust him.

Trusting Jesus

Imagine the difference.

Not just knowing the way Jesus wants us to live, but trusting him to live that way.

Instead of trying to make Jesus fit into our lives, we’d die to ourselves and live for him. And when there are beliefs^[1], instructions or calling we find hard to understand, we can still follow Jesus’ call.

Many knew him, But few followed

There were tens of thousands of people who knew Jesus when he walked on the earth.

We hear about the crowds who came and saw him preach and perform miracles (Matt 15:30). And yet, only a small number actually followed him when he called them to.

Jesus said his yoke (a term that Rabbi’s used to refer to their teaching (W. E. Nunnally, “Yoke,” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000)) was easy, and yet they didn’t trust him to take it on.

I wonder where I stand. I wonder where you stand. Do I trust Jesus, or maybe I only like him?

Father, please help me to trust you.