What Are You Assuming?

1 Samuel 1:1-18

Message No. 0795 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

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People assume that they know things all the time, and they sometimes take decisions based on these assumptions. Sadly, many decisions based on assumptions are wrong. As God’s children, we must watch the things we assume and about whom we assume. We need the Spirit of God to guide us when we are confused, and we should not substitute this for our presumed mind-reading or situation-reading skills.

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If you travel as often as I do, you may have been asked some immigration questions that angered you. Some officers ask questions purely based on the colour of your skin, while others ask based on the colour of your passport. Many years ago, on one of my trips, I was coming out of a country (traveling back home), and after clearing security, an officer pulled me aside, asked for my passport, then asked me to open my backpack so she could have a look, and as she was checking, she asked if I had “medicine” in my bag. Based on the colour and country of my passport, I understood the profiling and knew what she was asking. She wanted to know if I was carrying drugs, but since English was not their language, she didn’t know what words to use. Since she called it medicine, at first, I wanted to say yes and ask if she had a headache so I could give her some medicine to use, but I knew that my joke could delay me further and might result in unintended consequences, so I provided the correct answer, no, I don’t. She found nothing and I picked up my backpack and headed to the boarding gate.

Most people make assumptions about other people and about situations everyday. Assumptions might be based on culture, orientation or experience and they often lead to expectations or decisions. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the non-scientific assumptions we make daily are wrong. Even men of God get things wrong occasionally. In 1 Samuel chapter 1 verses 1-18, the Bible tells the story of Elkanah and his two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah didn’t. On one of their annual trips to Shiloh to worship God, the Bible says that Hannah was sorrowful as her rival always provoked her based on her childlessness, so one day after the family had finished eating and drinking, she went into the tabernacle of the Lord and started praying silently, only moving her lips. 

Now, Eli the priest was sitting at the doorpost of the tabernacle, and when he saw her mouth moving and did not hear her voice, he concluded that Hannah was drunk and asked “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” Hannah responded in verses 15 and 16:

"No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. "Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

Upon hearing the truth, Eli pronounced blessings on Hannah and she conceived and gave birth to Samuel, but this story shows how quickly we often make assumptions and how our conclusions are often wrong.

Few years ago, one of my colleagues saw me in a conference and asked about my family and I said everyone was fine. When he asked how old my children were (some people really dig deep) and I told him, he was shocked, and told me that he had assumed that my children were still very small and running around the house. People often make assumptions about certain races, certain skin colours, certain religions, certain nationalities and certain genders. People assume things they don’t know, and they conclude in their minds with strong elements of certainty. 

When Job was undergoing significant problems, his friends concluded that he had sinned and that God was punishing him for his sins. One of our sisters told me of a day during the church service when worship was going on and a guy standing beside her was stoic, not showing that he was even present in the church. She had assumed in her mind that this guy was not paying attention and was not participating in the worship, then God rebuked her and let her know that He was looking at the heart, not at the actions.

Is there something you are assuming, about your neighbour, about your colleague, your pastor or church member, your friend or even your family member? If we sense danger, we should be cautious and sometimes completely avoid or leave the situation. It’s better to be safe than sorry. However, while it’s good to be hesitant and in some cases suspicious so as to protect oneself, we must give room to the fact that assumptions and conclusions can often be wrong and we should avoid taking drastic decisions about things we do not know. The best way to handle our assumptions is to find out what the truth is.

What to Do?

Don’t assume that you know until you have a proof.