Don’t Assume

 

Have you ever talked with someone and misunderstood what they were saying or they misunderstood what you were saying?  This can take place so easily and if you are not careful you will be hurt, get angry or maybe even heartbroken over something that wasn’t said or meant to be taken like you thought it was.  I wonder how many times people get in an uproar over something they thought they heard so they may have been scarred for a long period of time, when all they had to do, instead of presuming they knew what was said, was to ask this question, “what do you mean by that,” and save themselves a lot of problems, anger and heartaches?  

Some of us have a problem with communication skills while others seem to have a problem with the way they listen.  Think about this, how many times have you misjudged a situation or maybe some circumstance and got all bent out of shape, because of what you thought was going on?  Then as time went on, you found out you were all wrong, it happens far too often.

This happened with some of the people in the New Testament in Luke 13:1-5, “Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’”

These people must have assumed that those who were killed were worse sinners than other people and this was their fate, and if Jesus didn’t tell them what He did, they may have walked away believing that, but Jesus said, “no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

God’s Word says, “the wages of sin is death.”  It doesn’t say the degree of sin is death.  In other words, it is not how much you sin or how horrible your sin is; all sin, no matter how you see it great or small, results in death.  God’s Word also says this, “All have sinned and fell short of the glory of God.”  All of us have missed the mark, so we are all guilty in God’s eyes.  Some people die when they are young and others when they are old, some tragically and some die in their sleep, but all die.  But, those who repent and put their hope in Jesus, making Him their Lord and Savior, will be raised to new life in Christ because they put their trust and hope in Him.  My prayer is, if you are reading this and you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, this will be the day of your new birth, praise the Lord!!

Another example of people assuming, misjudging and not listening is Job’s three friends, who were convinced that Job was in the circumstance and situation he was in because he sinned, but that was not true and Job couldn’t convince them of that, no matter what he said because they had their minds made up. Then when all was said and done God had to straighten them out Himself, which He did in Job 42:1-11:

“Then Job answered the Lord and said,

‘I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask you, and you instruct me.’

‘I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.’

It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job.

The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold. Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave him one piece of money, and each a ring of gold.”

We need to be careful how we misjudge others, how we communicate and how we assume things we don’t understand.  Like Job’s three friends, we can make serious errors also.  Something to think about!  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!