Why the Crisis of Confidence?

‘CAN you really trust anyone nowadays?’ You may have heard some frustrated individual ask this question. Or you may even have asked the question yourself when emotionally troubled over a turn of events in your life.

Undeniably, there is a worldwide lack of confidence in institutions and in other people. Oftentimes, this lack of confidence is justified. Does anyone really expect most politicians to keep all their preelection promises? A 1990 survey of 1,000 students in Germany indicated that whereas 16.5 percent of them were confident that politicians could solve world problems, twice as many expressed strong doubts. And a majority said that they lacked confidence in the ability of politicians to solve problems as well as in their willingness to do so.

The newspaper Stuttgarter Nachrichten complained: “Too many politicians have first their own interests in mind and then, just possibly, those of their voters.” People in other countries agree. The newspaper The European said of one land: “Youth’s cynicism towards the politicians is well founded and shared by their elders.” It noted that ‘the electorate regularly throws the political parties out of office.’ The newspaper further said: “Anyone spending time among young people [there] is immediately struck by their lack of confidence and sense of dislocation.” Yet, without public confidence, a democratic government can achieve little. Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy once noted: “The basis of effective government is public confidence.”

As to confidence in the world of finance, sudden economic reversals and get-rich-quick schemes turned sour have caused many to be hesitant. When world stock markets fluctuated wildly in October 1997, a newsmagazine spoke about “a raging and sometimes irrational lack of confidence” and about “the no-confidence contagion.” It also said that “confidence has been so drained [in one Asian country] that the very existence of the regime . . . seems threatened.” In summary, it stated the obvious: “Economies rely on confidence.”

Religion is also failing to inspire confidence. The German religious journal Christ in der Gegenwart sadly comments: “The level of confidence placed in the Church by the populace continues to fall.” Between 1986 and 1992, the number of Germans with much, or at least a good measure of, confidence in the church fell from 40 to 33 percent. In fact, in former East Germany, it dropped to below 20 percent. Conversely, people who had little or no confidence in the church grew from 56 to 66 percent in what was formerly West Germany and to 71 percent in the former East Germany.

A drop in confidence has become apparent in fields other than politics, finance, and religion—the three pillars of human society. Another example is law enforcement. Loopholes in criminal codes, difficulties in administering the law justly, and questionable court decisions have seriously shaken people’s trust. According to Time magazine, “the frustrations of citizens and police have reached a point of no confidence in a system that repeatedly puts dangerous felons back on the street.” In the face of charges of police corruption and brutality, confidence even in the police has plummeted.

Regarding international politics, aborted peace talks and broken cease-fires point up a lack of confidence. Bill Richardson, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, put his finger on the main stumbling block to achieving peace in the Middle East, saying simply: “There is a lack of confidence.”

Meanwhile on a more personal level, many people lack confidence even in close relatives and friends, the very ones that humans normally turn to for understanding and comfort when they have problems. It is much like the situation that the Hebrew prophet Micah described: “Do not put your faith in a companion. Do not put your trust in a confidential friend. From her who is lying in your bosom guard the openings of your mouth.”—Micah 7:5.

A Sign of the Times

German psychologist Arthur Fischer was recently quoted as saying: “Confidence in society’s development and in one’s personal future has actually dropped dramatically on all fronts. Young people doubt that society’s institutions can help them. Their confidence goes to the point of nonexistence, whether it be political, religious, or any other organization.” It is no wonder that sociologist Ulrich Beck speaks about a “culture of doubt” toward long-standing authorities, institutions, and experts.

In such a culture, people tend to withdraw, to reject all authority, and to live according to personal standards, making decisions independent of counsel or direction from others. Some become overly suspicious, possibly even inconsiderate, when dealing with those they feel they cannot trust anymore. This attitude promotes an unhealthy climate, such as described in the Bible: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Proverbs 18:1) Truly, today’s crisis of confidence is a sign of the times, a sign of “the last days.”

In a world suffering a crisis of confidence and teeming with people like those described above, life cannot really be enjoyed to the full. But is it realistic to think that things will change? Can today’s crisis of confidence be overcome? If so, how and when?

Confidence Can Be Restored!

ALTHOUGH the current crisis of confidence is a sign of “the last days,” lack of confidence also became apparent thousands of years ago. (2 Timothy 3:1) It first arose in a most unlikely place—in a paradise. The Bible says of the location: “God planted a garden in Eden, toward the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. Thus Jehovah God made to grow out of the ground every tree desirable to one’s sight and good for food and also the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.”—Genesis 2:8, 9.

Subsequent verses shed light on what this has to do with the modern-day crisis of confidence. We read: “Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: ‘From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.’” (Genesis 2:16, 17) Did Adam have any reason to doubt what Jehovah said?

We read on: “Now the serpent proved to be the most cautious of all the wild beasts of the field that Jehovah God had made. So it began to say to the woman: ‘Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?’ At this the woman said to the serpent: ‘Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat. But as for eating of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it that you do not die.”’ At this the serpent said to the woman: ‘You positively will not die. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.’ Consequently the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something to be longed for to the eyes, yes, the tree was desirable to look upon. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it.”—Genesis 3:1-6.

In ignoring God’s clear warning, Adam and Eve demonstrated lack of confidence in Jehovah. They mirrored God’s adversary Satan, who had spoken to Eve through the literal serpent. Satan lacked confidence in Jehovah’s way of ruling. Because of this and a proud and ambitious heart, he rebelled against God and misled humans into doing the same. He influenced them into thinking that God was not to be trusted.

The Result? Strained Relations

You may have observed that individuals who do not trust others find it difficult to maintain friendships. Publilius Syrus, a Latin writer of the first century B.C.E., wrote: “Confidence is the only bond of friendship.” By their act of rebellion, Adam and Eve showed that they did not trust God. Hence, God certainly had no reason to trust them. As a result of a breakdown in trust, or confidence, the first humans lost God’s friendship. There is no indication that Jehovah ever spoke to them again after he condemned them for their rebellion.

The relationship between Adam and Eve also suffered. Jehovah warned Eve: “In birth pangs you will bring forth children, and your craving will be for your husband, and he will dominate you.” (Genesis 3:16) The Jerusalem Bible says: “He will lord it over you.” Instead of exercising loving headship over his wife, as God had wanted, Adam now became her master, lording it over her.

After they had sinned, Adam tried to shift the blame to his wife. In his opinion it was because of what she had done that they were ejected from a perfect garden into an unfinished earth, doomed to slave under less than ideal conditions before returning to the dust. (Genesis 3:17-19) We can well imagine that this was a source of friction between the two. Adam may have overreacted, voicing that he would never listen to Eve again. Possibly he felt justified in telling her, in effect, ‘From now on, I’m the boss!’ Eve, on the other hand, may have seen that Adam had failed in his role as family head, causing her to lose confidence in him. At any rate, by expressing a lack of confidence in God, humans lost their friendship with him and damaged their relationship with one another.

Whom Can We Trust?

Not everyone deserves our confidence, as the example of Adam and Eve illustrates. How can we know who does and who does not deserve our confidence?

Psalm 146:3 advises us: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.” And at Jeremiah 17:5-7, we read: “Cursed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in earthling man and actually makes flesh his arm, and whose heart turns away from Jehovah himself.” On the other hand, “blessed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in Jehovah, and whose confidence Jehovah has become.”

Granted, putting confidence in humans is not always wrong. Those texts are simply making the point that confidence in God is never misplaced, but putting confidence in imperfect humans can at times lead to disaster. For example, people who trust humans to achieve what only God can do—provide salvation and bring full peace with security—are headed for disappointment.—Psalm 46:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

Actually, humans and human institutions merit confidence only to the degree that they act in harmony with God’s purposes and demonstrate godly principles. Thus, if we are to inspire others to have confidence in us, we must speak the truth, being honest and reliable. (Proverbs 12:19; Ephesians 4:25; Hebrews 13:18) Only by conducting ourselves in agreement with Bible principles will the trust others place in us be justified and prove to be a source of mutual strength and encouragement.

Restoring Confidence

Jehovah’s Witnesses have a solid basis for placing confidence in God and encouraging others to do likewise. Jehovah is faithful and loyal, one who can always be relied upon to do what he has said, because “it is impossible for God to lie.” Confidence placed in the God of love will never lead to disappointment.—Hebrews 6:18; Psalm 94:14; Isaiah 46:9-11; 1 John 4:8.

People who are united in having confidence in Jehovah and who live by his principles are strongly motivated to show confidence in one another. In a world suffering a crisis of confidence, what a joy to find people who are trustworthy! Imagine how different the world would be if we could have complete confidence in what everyone else says or does! In the coming new world that God has promised this will be the case. Never again will there be any crisis of confidence!

Would you like to live then? If so, Jehovah’s Witnesses invite you to strengthen your confidence in God and in his promises by learning more about his requirements for life. A study of the Bible offers proof that God exists, that he is interested in mankind’s welfare, and that he will soon act to correct world problems by means of his Kingdom. Millions have learned to put confidence in God and in his Word, the Bible. Jehovah’s Witnesses will gladly demonstrate to you the public service of a Bible study course they offer free of charge. Or write to the publishers of this magazine for further information.