Assumptions (pt2)

Earlier this week, I posted a blog about about making assumptions. It was about an experience I had at a summer camp where I made an assumption that lead to a bad situation. You can read about it here. I made a wrong assumption because it looked like everything was normal.

I was in a staff meeting many years ago, before I came to Promise Land; and an intense discussion arose because an assumption was made. "You know what happens when you assume don't you?", came intensely out of the mouth of our leader. (I'm not going to tell you on this blog, you've probably heard it before. Hint: it has to do with the picture...)

Just because something seems a certain way doesn't mean it is. Making an assumption about your family, co-workers, or other people you know can lead to misunderstandings - and headaches!

Don't make the assumption...

• That your spouse knows you love them, make sure they know it! (Sometimes telling them isn't enough - scratch that... telling them isn't enough. Don't assume they know.)

• That your parents know you appreciate them (Sometimes parents can feel as if their kids don't appreciate all that they do for them. from time to time I hear students complaining about their parents... in most cases I hear, they need to be appreciative of all they do for them - p.s. moving out isn't all its cracked up to be. Bottom line: if you appreciate your parents, tell them.)

• That your boss knows how you feel (Many times our superior operates in their own world and has no clue how we really feel... example: Michael Scott. No, it's not our singles pastor. There are a lot of frustrations that you may have, and you assume your boss knows about them. In most cases, your boss can help alleviate that stressful frustration. It's not that they don't care about you... it may be that they don't know. Don't assume they do).

• That my kid doesn't look at porn on his I-touch. Like I pointed out a few weeks ago on a Wednesday night in this message. You can download it from this list here. Years ago pornographic images were being talked about as they travelled through the lines of cell phones. It's been here for years. This week I had a conversation with another youth pastor about a student who shot a pornographic video of a girl using his phone, then sent it to 15 of his friends... they are all now being investigated for child pornography. It doesn't have to be "sent" to your child. WiFi is available everywhere, and if you have a WiFi capable phone or an I-touch you can access thousands of videos from youtube practically undetected. Don't assume that just because they don't look at porn on their i-phone & i-touches at home, they aren't looking at it somewhere else.

• That those under you are getting the job done. (Just because we tell someone or ask someone to do something doesn't mean that it will get done, especially in ministry. It may be getting done at first, but don't assume that it will keep getting done. You have to inspect from time to time. You've heard it said before, "You can't expect, what you don't inspect." Don't just assume someone is getting the job done, make sure they are. "I assume they were" is no excuse)

• Don't assume... Just because things "look" like they are ok, doesn't mean that they are.

So, what assumptions are you making?