BE CREDIBLE
Our meditation today has the theme: Be Credible. In general, we understand that credibility means
trustworthiness. This has to do with humans or impersonal ones such as institutions, wisdom,
decisions, choices and beliefs. Credibility is basically a virtue that is needed if we are responsible
and have convinction toward others about what we say and do. The expected result is that we or
something can be trusted. This means that one or something is credible.
What are the signs of credible people? Today the Lord Jesus teaches us one fundamental
characteristic of the virtue of credibility. He uses the profiles of the Pharisees and the scribes as His
example. They are good at talking and seem so convincing with their thoughts and arguments. But
their obvious fault is that they don't do what they say. Credibility really demands that there should
be a proportional connection between what is said or discussed with what is done. Words and
actions are in line. Theory is expressed in practice.
Credibility can stand straight and be useful if its both feet are in function, namely words and deeds.
Those who were criticized by Jesus only stood on one foot, which were their words. Their deeds
were just zero. They were actually crippled. So Jesus' advice is this: just listen and follow what they
say, because it has valuable advice and wisdom. But never follow their actions. Words and thoughts
or concepts are easier to be made because they do not require much sacrifices. Especially when the
aim is to attract, influence, and a way of promotion, words can be arranged in an orderly fashion,
nice to people's hearing, and as a power to move feelings and sentiments. But this is still
incomplete. It is still limping.
Deeds and actions that have moral influence, faith principles, and human universal values, have
their higher quality of credibility compared to ordinary actions such as walking, eating or drinking.
The prophet Isaiah emphasizes the acts of justice and compassion. If people only speak, theorize,
promise, and discuss about creating justice and the importance of compassion, then without doing
justice and showing compassion to others, their credibility in faith and moral standards are
questionable. They may feel so confident to talk and explain things, but they are degrading their
quality as humans because they are not credible.
If this meditation encourages us to be credible, it means that we who have responsibilities to take
care of others in the fields of teaching, nurturing, guidance and accompaniment, we should make
credibility as a means for our consecration and service for humanity. Credibility is similar to honety
or righteousness.
Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord Jesus, teach us to be trustworthy in our words and
deeds. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...
