The Benefit of the Doubt

When someone says something hurtful to you, it is wise to give them
the benefit of the doubt. What does that mean? It means ask
yourself, “Do I firmly believe that this is a person of good will?”
If so, is there anything that can help you better understand their
behavior? Give them the benefit of the doubt that they are just
tired, or “hangry”, or having a bad day for some reason. Especially
in marital relationships, think of how many times your spouse has
said hurtful things to you, while you knew that they still loved
you. This is not to excuse hurtful behavior, and not a reason to
tolerate being treated poorly, or to endure any kind of abuse. In
many cases a person’s actions do reveal their heart. So we’re not
talking about those cases. We’re not talking about people who
manipulate others intentionally, and those who just willfully do
evil. We’re talking about when people of good will just have a bad
moment, or momentarily let their vain side get the best of them.
The way we respond to an enemy and the way we respond to a friend
is going to be different. Decide which one hurt you, and respond
accordingly. www.ascensionpress.com/theFrMikeSchmitzPodcast