An Unnecessary Exercise

[371 words] A man was hoeing his garden in a chair. Said the passerby to himself, “What laziness!” However, closer observation revealed to the passerby a pair of crutches leaning against the chair. The passerby was guilty of that unnecessary exercise called “jumping to conclusions.” Be honest! Very little effort is required for attaching the worst connotation possible to the decisions or actions of others. Yes, it is so easy to jump to conclusions, ignoring or being void of all the facts behind the decisions and actions of others. So what will help us be more fair in the concepts we have of one another and the conclusions we draw about one another? From the words of Jesus in that familiar passage (Matt. 7:1-5) there are several things we need to remember. First, it is wrong to judge impetuously and jump to conclusions about another. Jesus said, “Judge not.” Second,…