What do we really know?

God measures the heart. He weighs it in the balance. We often complicate matters with human communication, miscommunication or interpretation. Proverbs 18:17 says, "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him."

Just because someone tells us us something about someone else or about themselves doesn't mean that we should automatically believe it. For example, I used to work for a bank. I was the only African American in management. About a year later another young African American female was hired. A few months after she was hired I was called into my boss' office. The President of the company, my Director and my immediate Supervisor where there. The Director spoke of how the company had been so good to me and how they were disappointed in me. I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about and I supposed that look was coming through so they explained that the new hire confided in them that I had told her that the company was full of racists and that she should watch out. She said she was just telling them because I made her feel uncomfortable. I hadn't said two words to her because I didn't care for her and I was appauled that the accusation was made without anyone ever even asking me if any of it were true. There was the assumption that just because she came to them in sincerity that she must have been telling the truth. I was hurt. After having been with the company for nearly two years and peforming well on all evaluations I decided to leave the company. I told my Supervisor--who seemed most disappointed, that I was disappointed in him for not trusting me and for not asking me anything. All he could say was, "Why would she just do that out of the blue?" I supposed that made everything justified from the company's perspective. I went on to practice law, and was pretty happy because it was a solitary position where I didn't have to worry about that kind of traumatic experience again. Not six months later my former Supervisor called me to say that the young lady who had blantley lied on me had been arrested for embezzelment and was trying to sue the company for sexual harrassment. I had no sympathy. I felt like she and they were getting what they deserved. I'm sure that was wrong, but at the time it did bring some satisfaction. Later I learned that she had sued her former employer for sexual harrassment too. She most likely was bi-polar and for some reason--although we hardly spoke and did not work togther--I became a target.

From that experience I learned that it is imperative to hear everyone out. I never just accept what one person tells me because that one person has his/her version of what happened based upon their desire to seem innocent and to be accepted. But even when we do our best to see both sides and to judge fairly we can never judge the heart. God sees and knows our hearts. He knows our motives. He knows our intentions.

He really knows us. My most valuable lesson? Trust in the Lord and lean not unto my own undrestanding. In all my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my paths.