Making assumptions
We went to the first high school football game of the season recently. A few minutes into the game, I saw a player rushing to the sidelines. He was holding his mouth and looked like there was quite a lot of blood. They sat him on the bench and worked on him. Then I saw him walking off the field, still holding a rag to his mouth.
Not long after, a man (I’ll call him Man A) started down the stairs. When he got to the row in front of us he turned back around and told the people behind us that another player had busted the boy’s chin strap through his chin and his chin was all torn up. He proceeded down the bleacher stairs. Well a few minutes later he came back up the stairs. A man (Man B) with noticeable physical limitations was in the way, trying to maneuver from the hand rail of the stairs to his seat and being helped by another man (Man C).
I watched as Man A came back and was trying to get around Man B. He was trying to go back up the stairs and couldn’t get past him because Man B was holding on to the railing. It seemed like he was trying to move Man B’s hand out of the way. He was not rough or rude but seemed to be in a hurry. I noticed Man C gave Man A a dirty look as he helped Man B to his seat, and Man A continued up the stairs.
As I watched this I thought how neither man knew the other man’s situation. Man C thought Man A was just being rude. He didn’t know of the pressing matter he was facing. Man A didn’t realize Man B’s limitations.
I wondered how many times this happens in life. We don’t know what another person is going through, and we make assumptions about them as a person, thinking they are just rude, impatient, arrogant, or whatever other quality. If we knew their side of the story though, we might be less quick to jump to these assumptions. Instead of thinking he’s just being impatient, we might find out he’s rushing to get to the hospital in time to see his dying father. Instead of thinking she’s grouchy, we will realize she’s trying to get home to see her kids before they go to bed after working two jobs to try to make ends meet.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12.
If we could all just remember this verse in our daily interactions! I need to be reminded often that I don’t know what the people around me are facing. Instead of rolling my eyes or criticizing or griping about someone or their behavior, I need to remember that I don’t know what road they are walking. I can try to lighten their load with a kind word or smile. We each face different battles, and as Christians we can help one another bear the load instead of making false assumptions or judgments.
Have a day of blessings!
I agree, we don’t always know what someone else is going through. Our daughter would come home from school and say her teacher didn’t like her. I would tell her that can’t be true. Maybe she is having problems at home that you don’t know about. We are always quick to judge which isn’t in God’s plan for us.
This is so good, Bethany! !! Many times I make assumptions without knowing the facts and in the past it has gotten me in trouble. It’s wise to always keep our mouths zipped if we don’t know the truth.
Amen to that, Bethany. We do not know what the other person is going through. I try to apply grace in all situations. Only God knows what the next person is going through.