We have all had that moment. You know that moment where somebody seems to have walked past you and ignored you, or that you called them and they didn't call back or when they said, "Hi it’s good to see you," but they said it with that face or with that tone and I know they were thinking.... Now do you get my drift?
I see this all the time in my life, well I have people show me where I am doing this because I am too blind to see it myself. It is much easier for me to see this in other people’s lives. So for me I see it a lot in teenagers. I can't tell you how many times I have heard girls and guys say that they are not talking anymore or they are not friends anymore because they did this and I know that means this. Then you start to talk to them a little more and you realize that what they are saying is not really true it is just what they have "assumed" to be the truth.
I also as a youth pastor get to see this with parents. I will have a conversation with them they do the exact same thing of well such and such did this and I know that they are mad at me or that they have been saying bad things about me or my kids because they didn't ask me how I was doing last Sunday at church. Then all of sudden there is the terrible family fight over something that wasn't even true.
It is not too different from what happened to Jesus. Now before I move on let me say that I know that God is sovereign and that the death of Jesus was a part of His plan that cannot be undone. Ok moving on. Jesus arrived and began to do things that blew people’s minds. He would say and do things that people recognize that he was the Messiah, but the people, even the disciples, had their own assumption about what the Messiah was and what he should do. That is why you have moments like Matthew 16 where Jesus asks the disciples who do you say that I am and they respond the Christ or Messiah. Then Jesus began telling the disciples I will suffer many things at the hands of the Elders and Chief Priests and the disciple Peter responds by pulling Jesus to the side and rebuking Jesus. Peter just finished telling Jesus, "You are the Christ" only to follow that statement with up with rebuking Jesus on his assumption of what the Messiah was supposed to do.
I mean, does this not describe how we are what happens when we assume. One moment someone is a true friend; the next moment they are someone who has it out for us, or who is not trustworthy. All that relationship time thrown away on our assumption. If all of us would just stop in our moments of assuming and just go ask someone. Hey when you said this what did you mean? Hey when you walked by me at the mall why you didn’t say hi to me? Such and Such told me that you don't like being around me anymore and I feel like it is true because you didn't respond to my text or facebook message. I mean think about Peter. Would Peter have rebuked Jesus if he had ever sat down with Jesus and said, "Jesus I know you are the Christ; the son of the living God. But what is your plan. How will you deliver us? It seems to me that You would do it this way, but is that right?" If Peter would have asked to source of deliverance how He would deliver I believe that Peter doesn't rebuke him on the Mountain. Now he may have argued with Jesus saying you’re gonna what? Jesus I don't think that is a good idea, but at least then he talking to the source and not assuming.
I believe that my life would be so much better if I just took the advice of Jesus and went o a brother or sister in Christ and talked with them face to face how much assumptions would stop at just and assumption. If we believed it when Paul wrote that we do not fight flesh and blood but principalities and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6). By the way he says that at the end of letter to a church that is fighting with each other. So my advice to myself and you today is to not assume but talk to people directly who knows what you will find out about your assumptions.