When working on a church staff, you always put yourself in a position for success when you decide beforehand that you will assume the best of those you work with.
Put it however you want. You have to give them a benefit of the doubt, expect the best out of their intentions, and stop assuming the worst in everyone else’s motives.
I’ve sat in many an office with someone that is deeply wounded by the actions of another. Many times I’m not seeing the offense, but I encourage the wounded person to speak to that person to hurt them. What’s crazy to me, is how often the offense was never intended; and the person that did the wounding leaves wounded. Why would they leave feeling hurt? Because they can’t imagine that someone they trust would think they’d have such a terrible motive behind their actions.
When we choose to assume the best of those we work with, we free ourselves from the comparison game. We free ourselves from bitterness towards the success of others. We free ourselves from resentment that only handicaps our own efforts for the Kingdom of God. When was the last time you were willing to give others the opportunity to have a bad day? Do you never have bad days? When have you given people the room to just misspeak? Have you never misspoken? When have you offered someone quick forgiveness, seeing that they genuinely made a mistake? You can live free, and it all starts with giving others the same courtesy you’d want them to give you!
