The path to more joy in your life is different than you might think.

Does it ever amaze you how many responsible people there are in this

world? I have discovered:

1. The world is full of people who are trying their very best to do

what is right.

2. The world is also full of people who are irresponsible.

3. This is a sliding scale, and depends on many factors.

4. I find my own natural tendency is to slide myself way over to the

responsible side while sliding most other people way over to the less

responsible side.

5. If they believe things differently, or they were raised differently,

or they assume different outcomes, or they act or dress or look really

different than I do, I find myself assuming they have “issues”.

Our unproven assumptions about people are important. Two factors

greatly affect how we see others:

1. Our upbringing, our friends and our heroes.

2. What we feed our spirits through books, movies, tv and private

thoughts.

Assuming others are selfish and irresponsible makes us act this way

ourselves.

Abraham assumed a foreign king, Abimelech, would kill him for his wife.

He assumed Abimelech was irresponsible and had no respect for God.

Abraham lied to the king. Luckily, God intervened. “But one night God

came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for

that woman you took is married.” Gen. 20:3 NLT. Wouldn’t you know it?

Isaac learned some lessons from his dad and did the same thing, with

the same wrong assumptions. The foreign king was very indignant when he

learned the truth, “How could you treat us this way!…you would have

made us guilty of great sin.” Gen. 26:10.

There is a better way.

1. Assume everyone would really like a living relationship with God.

2. Assume people would rather not spend eternity in hell.

3. Assume people are wounded, making choices based on things you do not

understand.

4. Help some people find healing.

5. Help some people make better choices.

You will find more joy in this lifestyle.

Rick.