"Assumptions"

 

“Assumptions”

 

A small business owner in one of the churches we served had a sign on his desk which said “Never Assume”. Undoubtedly this grew out of his many years of dealing with customers and vendors who were looking for an “edge” so he learned to ask questions to come to mutual understandings. The fact that his family-owned company is now led by the fourth generation shows the wisdom of his actions.

What’s true about assumptions in the corporate world can be carried into our ministry and witness, One of the big dangers in both is using the same terminology but with different meanings. For example, in a discussion I once had with a cultist he said he believed in the resurrection of Christ but as I probed further I discovered he meant restoration of Jesus’ influence, not the resurrection of His body. In another case a church’s Search Team interviewed and recommended a pastoral candidate who was called to the church. It wasn’t until questions began to arise that it was discovered that the team and the pastor had used the same terms but they were understood differently (the pastor had served in another region of the country). There was no intention to mislead but unfortunate assumptions led to struggles and division.

Scripture makes two significant assumptions which are distinct from ours: they come from God. In Genesis 1:1 we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” His eternal existence and unlimited power aren’t defended but simply stated (dare I say assumed) as fact. Then just before returning to Heaven Jesus said to His disciples, “…As you are going make disciples of all nations….” (Matthew 28:19, my literal translation, emphasis added). Our Lord assumes we’ll obey His one command (‘…make disciples….”) by meeting people where they are and sharing His message of salvation and hope with them. The fact that He anticipates our doing so shows He’s trusting us to be His ambassadors. How trustworthy am I in being His witness and representative?

We ought to “never assume” on a human level but “always assume” God will keep His word. So let’s keep our assumptions in order.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan