Saturday, January 12, 2013

Don't Make Assumptions



We make assumptions based on what we see, but the flaw in this system is the lack of facts. "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits." (Prov. 16:2) What if a person is heavy because they are ill? What if that Hispanic man that you looked down on is a medical doctor who treats you at your next appointment? What if the person driving the older car is the biggest giver in your church? What if the person who didn't respond to your greeting was seen later speaking in sign language with an interpreter? And what if the people in the tiny home are saving up to buy a home large enough to provide room for their elderly parents one day?

Assumptions are wild guesses pretending to be facts.

Instead of looking at people and "sizing them up," why not get to know them instead? "There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." (Prov. 13:7) The very person you've been snubbing could be a walking storehouse of wisdom, placed in your path by the Lord to fortify and enrich your life. God has a garden full of personalities, and just as we are nourished when we eat from a variety of food groups, our lives are enriched when we get to know people from all walks of life.

Branch out. Get to know someone who is nothing like you. Banish the assumptions and just be a godly friend.

(Proverbs 18:24)

