We have an odd way of measuring other people.  We watch them, take note of their actions, or inactions for that matter, and then come to a conclusion.  We decide by what we see if they are lazy, sloppy, educated or rich by.  We call them strange or fascinating – perhaps we name them brilliant or incompetent by what we observe.

Why would I say that is odd?  Well it isn’t the measuring stick we use for ourselves.  We judge ourselves by a very different measuring rod.  We use the standard of intention.  If our intentions were good then we excuse our actions no matter how wrong…it was what we intended not what we did that matters.  In fact you’ll often hear people say, as they realize they have done something they should not have, “I didn’t mean to….”.

What if we turned that upside down?  You might say, “well how does one know or for that matter judge someone’s intentions?”  I might suggest that the way to find intention is to eliminate some of our assumptions.  For we easily draw conclusions, assumptions, from our observations.

By doing so we give the other person the benefit of the doubt, and give them room, as we do ourselves, for an opportunity to see others as God sees them!