Putting confidence in an unreliable person is like chewing with a toothache or walking on a broken foot.
We all have somebody in our lives that we feel comfortable sharing our deepest problems and personal issues with. The question is: is the person we are confiding in reliable? Is he or she going to keep the confidence and confidentiality of what we shared? We must be careful in choosing who we share our personal issues with. This includes our successes. Sometimes the very person we trust turns on us suddenly because of envy. The Bible says putting confidence in an unreliable person is painful because of the damage they can do to us.
Information is powerful. It gives power to the people we choose to share our information with. Information can destroy a person’s life and a company. There are people who seem trustworthy on the surface but then turn around and betray your confidence. They first make you feel comfortable by sharing a few personal things
with you to make you open up to them. Then they use the information you give them to taint your name and your reputation.
Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment to choose the right individuals in whom you can confide. Then don’t forget to pay attention to His response. We all need people we can talk to and share concerns with, but we must be careful when choosing that person. At the same time, don’t share somebody else’s secrets and issues that they have confided in you. You are then gossiping and sowing that seed, which you will indeed reap later.
Finally, don’t forget you always have Jesus as your best friend. You can talk to Him out loud. He will listen and will always respond to you. He will give you peace in your heart, discernment, and guidance on how to deal with every situation. In Him, you can fully trust and pour your heart out without fear or reservation.
Excerpt permission granted by Marcia Malzahn.
Marcia Malzahn (Marci) was born in Nicaragua, Central America. In 1979 she left Nicaragua due to a revolution and moved to the Dominican Republic and lived there for seven years. Marcia moved to Minnesota in 1986 and started a career in banking with Marquette Banks that continued for the next thirteen years in the areas of Cash Management, Private Banking, and Retail Banking. In 1995 Marcia became the first Online Banking Specialist in the Twin Cities.
In 1999, she moved to the IT field and started working for Living Word Christian Center (LWCC), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. At LWCC, she held the positions of Y2K Project Manager, Director of IT, Associate in charge of Finance, Human Resources and IT, and was Corporate Assistant Secretary of the Board. She managed a budget of $31.5MM and 28 employees.
In January 2005, Marcia moved back to the banking field and helped start a new bank in Edina, MN, Tradition Capital Bank, now at over $400 million in assets. From 2005 to 2013, Marcia was the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer of the bank. In January, 2014, Marcia’s role changed to EVP/COO and was promoted to Chief Risk Officer. Marcia was also the Corporate Secretary of the bank’s Board and of the holding company’s Board.
In October 2014, Marcia started her own bank consulting firm, Malzahn Strategic, focusing on Strategic Planning, Enterprise Risk Management, and Talent Management for community banks. Marcia is also a public speaker and speaks on motivational/inspirational/leadership topics as well as banking topics such as Enterprise Risk Management. She holds an Associates of Arts degree from North Hennepin Community College and graduated with a B.A. in Business Management from Bethel University. Marcia also graduated from the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, WI.
Marcia is involved in the community. She was a member of Financial Women International for sixteen years and held several board positions including president of the local group and of the District. She is a member of the Minnesota Women Economic Roundtable and served as treasurer for two years. Marcia is also chair of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities. Marcia has also volunteered in other organizations including Matter, Pulse Movement, Opportunity International, Way to Grow, Feed My Starving Children, HopeKids, Meals on Wheels, and Farmers Market Youth Project.
Marcia was the recipient of many awards including:
• 25 On The Rise award given by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in December, 2005.
• Forty Under 40 award given by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal in May, 2006
• Virginia D. H. Furman Outstanding Woman of the Year award from Financial Women International in September, 2006
• Top Women in Finance award from Finance and Commerce Newspaper in November, 2008
• Outstanding Women in Banking award given by the North Western Financial Review magazine in November, 2009
Marcia is the author of her book Devotions for Working Women – A Daily Inspiration to Live a Successful and Balanced Life published in 2006. Marcia published her second book The Fire Within – Connect Your Gifts with Your Calling in October 2015. Marcia and her husband Tim live in Minnesota and have two children: Nicole and Patrick. Marcia enjoys spending time with her family, working out, singing, writing, and public speaking.