JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS

One of the greatest weaknesses is jumping to unwarranted conclusions. So often we pass judgment without first knowing all the facts.

On a cross country flight, a small child sitting with his father was crying.  A passenger sitting across the aisle said in disgust: “Why don’t you take that child to his mother?”  Those words would never have been spoken if he had known the mother’s body was in the cargo area below and was being transported for burial.

There was once a faithful dog who was a constant companion of a small child. They wandered away from home one day. Hours of searching proved futile. Later the dog appeared, covered with blood. The father jumped to the conclusion that the dog had become vicious and killed the child. So, he got his gun and killed the dog. Later the child was found in the woods unharmed. Nearby was a panther the dog had killed to protect the child. The father knew he had made a horrible mistake.

These accounts illustrate how easy it is to jump to conclusions. May we never form opinions and take actions before getting all the facts. Is that not the way we would want others to treat us?

Matthew 7:12 – Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Proverbs 15:28 – The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.