Why is it easy to assume that you know someone yet you actually do not? Every day presents to us a gift of 24 hours for us to understand the people and situations around us. In most cases, we blow our 24 hours up. We find ourselves trapped in our own imaginations and the one-sided way (Self-centered way) of seeing things.
We find ourselves doing similar things repeatedly and expect different results yet we do not want to challenge our imaginations. Believe me; nothing will change unless your assumptions have circumstantial evidence. We have let our wrong assumptions guide our actions. We end up being toxic to ourselves and inflicting those around us. There are comments I have heard people say about me that really show that these people do not know me. Maybe I should request them to spend more time with me for them to have a better perception of me. Today’s technologically advanced and fast-paced world gives us great opportunities to understand each other. When you see a situation or perceive another person out of bias and selfishness, you will always go wrong on your assumptions. We should always find a way to prove our data. If it means investing time and resources into research, we should better do that than make wrong assumptions that often lead to wrong decisions.
James gives us a caution on how to avoid being polluted by the world. The Bible tells us that “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. A religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world”(James 1:26-27). Friends, what will your tongue say today?
Before you concoct your assumptions, can you please dig deeper. It helps when one makes evidence-based decisions other than using self-inflicted evidence to jot a course of action.
Here are six action items for you and me to reflect on today:
1. Ask questions before making un-informed decisions
2. Discern people’s perceptions
3. Test your assumptions without a selfish bias
4. Admit that your perception of things and situations can be wrong at times
5. Develop a zeal to change perception once your assumptions get challenged
6. Maybe it is time for you and me to put on new ‘Perception Lenses’. Pay attention to such promptings.
