David has what might today be described as a “peace treaty” with the Ammonites and their king Nahash, and when Nahash died, David sent some ambassadors to the new king of the Ammonites; his son Hanun. But Hanun listening to the nattering of his commanders who managed to convince him that David was not seeking to extend the peace treaty, but rather that these men were spies. As a result, the ambassadors were shamed and embarrassed and sent on their way. This resulted in a military response from Israel and the subjugation of the Ammonites to Israel as servants.
So then, rather than get the blessing of peace and whatever else might have arisen from the relationship with God’s chosen nation, the Ammonites got less than nothing. They got punishment. What are you missing out on because you have made assumptions about motives? How are you cheating yourself by listening to the idle chatter and gossip of the embarrassingly uninformed rather than seeking the Lord for His guidance and wisdom?
Don’t assume facts not in evidence. Trust the Lord and allow people to show you who they are. This isn’t a call to being foolish or reckless, but give people space to show you who they are before you make decisions. Just yesterday at a Calvary Global Network retreat one of the other pastors shared the following verse. And I’ll end with this today:
To answer before listening—
Proverbs 18:13, NIV
that is folly and shame.