The Benefit Of The Doubt

The Benefit of the Doubt

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Colossians 3:12

There was a boy from elementary school whom I’ve never forgotten. His tantrums were legendary. One day, after he crushed a milk carton in the school cafeteria with his bare hands in a fit of rage, I went home and told my parents about it, in disbelief that someone would do something like that.

Solemnly, my dad said something to me that he would repeat often over the years: “You never know what their home life is like.” His larger meaning was this: don’t judge, because you never know the trauma or chaos a person may be experiencing in another area of their life.

Over the years, I saw my parents live out the words my dad expressed to me that day. Our home was always open to guests who lived on the fringes or appeared a little rough around the edges. My parents invited strangers to spend time with us, even on holidays, and kindly overlooked it when our guests lacked the ease of social graces. I watched my dad befriend a wheelchair-bound man who had serious medical issues and lived alone in a nursing home. I saw my mom buy work outfits for a young mother who struggled to raise her son alone. I watched them exemplify the gracious art of overlooking, of seeing a person’s heart rather than the roughened surface they presented to the world.

Sometimes kindness requires us to look beyond the circumstances to recognize why someone may be acting in a certain way. Maybe they grew up in a home that was rife with abuse or neglect. They may be struggling with substance abuse. Perhaps there are things in their life that make them feel unworthy or unloved. We are called to extend mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience to others. Those characteristics are sometimes best demonstrated by simply offering someone the benefit of the doubt. Our attitude of mercy and perspective of grace can be a great kindness and a true act of love.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

When you are tempted to judge someone for their actions, give them the benefit of the doubt by considering what else may be going on in their life.