DAILY DEVOTIONAL ✝️   

Walking on Water

Joe grew up hearing a remarkable family legend: his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all walked on water on their 21st birthdays. So when Joe turned twenty-one, he and his friend Brian headed straight to the lake. “If they did it,” Joe insisted, “I can too!”

 

They rented a boat, paddled out to the middle, and Joe stepped off the side full of confidence. Seconds later he was sputtering and flailing, very much not walking on water. Soaking wet and embarrassed, he returned home demanding answers.

 

“Grandma,” he said, “why could my father and his father and his father all walk on water, but I can’t?”

 

His grandmother said, “That’s because your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were born in January.  You were born in July, dear.”

 

Like Joe, we often jump to conclusions before we understand the whole picture. We make decisions based on rumors, assumptions, or partial information. And, as a result, we often end up splashing around in the water, wondering what went wrong.

 

Proverbs warns us that “the simple believe anything,” but those who are wise “give thought to their steps.” Wisdom doesn’t make assumptions. It listens, asks questions, and takes time to hear the full story.

 

In our relationships, most hurts begin because we react before we reflect. In moments of fear, frustration, or pride, we may jump to conclusions about someone’s motives or intentions. We may assume we know why something happened, or what someone meant, without ever pausing to gather the facts. Those snap judgments create misunderstandings that take time to mend.

 

God calls us to a better way. Scripture invites us to slow down, to think, and to listen. When we pause to seek understanding before responding, we spare ourselves and others unnecessary pain.  

 

Think about a situation in your life right now where you may be assuming more than you know. Is there a conversation you need to have? Questions you need to ask to get the full truth?  Before you take the next step, pause. Pray. Seek wisdom.

 

Because in life, as on the lake, it’s best to know the whole story before you try to walk on water. -Alan Smith

 

THOUGHT  OF THE DAY:🤔 The Internet is the most important single development in the history of human communication since the invention of call waiting. ~Dave Barry