The Benefit of the Doubt

Each person that you encounter today has something that they are stressing over. It might be something simple, like, what they should have for dinner, or it might be something more complicated, like, if they can even afford dinner.

As a disciple of Jesus we should demonstrate patience, compassion, mercy, and love. These are just a few of the characteristics that should be employed in our lives when living life with other people. When we have opportunity to interact with another human that shares this God-given planet with us it would do us some good to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

There are times that I could easily be offended or hurt by your words and actions and there are certainly times that you might be offended or hurt by my words and actions. Let’s just do each other a favor and assume that no one meant to hurt anyone. Is it naive? Maybe so, but I would rather live being naive and deal with being blind in my lack of experience than to live placing blame and more hurt upon more hurt.

Jesus says,

If you will give me the benefit of the doubt… I will do the same for you. We will live in more unity and fellowship if we don’t live thinking that another person is always out to get us. Let’s be good to each other because we are all stressing about something each day. Let’s give each other the benefit of the doubt.
I love you.