No assumptions, OK!

We all know it's good not to make assumptions, right? Yes... if we're going to put others first as God wants us to, we must accept them as they are and listen to them without judgement. Easier said than done. In theory, it's easy as ABC to say we accept people just as they are. In reality, it is harder to see past that negative thing we noticed about them, and much easier to focus on what they might be struggling with. Fact 1: they may well have problems. Fact 2: we don't have it all together either.

Matthew, one of Jesus' disciples (who wrote the Gospel of Matthew) was a tax collector; a seriously looked-down-on job at the time. If Jesus had decided to echo the voices of the crowd and shun him, Matthew would have missed out. Equally, if Jesus never took a risk with fishermen, assuming they were school dropouts, we'd never have heard from the likes of Peter.

It's the same for when we meet new people; believing the best of them means taking a risk. But here's the thing: God took a risk with us and has accepted us as his children. Instead of putting our assumptions first, let's listen to what God has to say.



So what now? God's word says, 'What a shame...to decide before knowing the facts' (Proverbs 18:13 TLB)! When you next meet someone new, rather than letting the first 30 seconds cement your opinion of them, ask God to help you respond without assumption.





— SCRIPTURE —

'What a shame...to decide before knowing the facts!' Proverbs 18:13 TLB
— SOULFOOD —

Col 1-2, John 17:1-12, Ps 147:12-20, Pro 29:6-10