This week I discovered another of my pet peeves. I have known about some. One peeve is when I properly place something in a cupboard or on a shelf. It stays in place until I turn my back——and then falls out or off! I am quick to become frustrated. I hope that as I have grown older, I am able to keep my cool and realize that growling and reacting won’t change anything. Just go clean up the mess, Eileen. A pet peeve is usually some minor, personal annoyance that specifically irritates me, or someone, often involving repetitive behaviors or lapses of social etiquette. Examples might include loud chewing, tardiness, slow walkers, interrupting, leaving dirty dishes—in the sink, often being late, hanging the toilet tissue the wrong way, and improper loud and public phone usage. They are small, daily frustrations. They can become huge over time in the mind of the one that is peeved.
Over and over I have come to realize that text messages, emails, conversations, church announcements, even the church newsletter are often only “half read or understood”. I have probably frustrated others by participating in my own pet peeve. I am apologizing for that misstep. Shame on me! When a person calls to find out more details about something, they will often indicate that they read the message but when that same person has to ask details that were plainly written down to be read and possibly reread, then I know that the message was only half read and then they assumed they knew what was being said. It’s that word Assume that gets us into trouble. We think we know what was being said and then jump to a conclusion and Assume we know—when we really don’t. I had an experience this week that made me think about my pet peeve subject. I had been asked to provide some information. So I provided it. Later I was called and asked to give the information that I had already given. My first message was only half read. A moment of rereading might have given the needed information.
On other occasions, I have been called or texted about information that had been announced in previous messages, like in the church bulletin or newsletter. Either the first time it was announced it was only half read or the person asking was a bit lazy and didn’t want to search it out for themselves. I guess that is another of my pet peeves.
I probably have a bit of the condition denoted FOMO—which stands for “Fear of Missing Out”. It is a slang term describing the anxiety or insecurity that others are having fun, living better lives, or experiencing exciting events without me knowing anything about it. It is often driven by social media, where seeing friends’ activities fuels the pressure to constantly be involved or informed. I know that I want to know! I want to know what is happening, what I might be missing out on. I even want to know when it really isn’t necessary to know. I still want to know! I need to Release my FOMO, the Need to Know. God often provides just enough light for the next step, rather than the whole picture, to grow our faith and trust.
Sometimes I receive a message from a friend that I can’t read or see or hear. They Assume that of course I have Snap chat or Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok, or WhatsApp—”doesn’t everyone?” I don’t even know what those apps are about. The users Assume everyone today has subscribed to them. I can’t understand the messages because I don’t have permissions. I have chosen to not have those apps, and I am fine without them. Maybe I don’t know what I am missing—in this case my FOMO hasn’t taken over and I am quite okay. Those apps don’t need to waste any more of my time than I have already wasted. I have several messages that I will never read or hear—sent to me even though I have told the senders I can’t open the app. I was curious about how we can all become better readers with understanding—by using what are called Comprehension Strategies. We should practice Active Questioning and ask “why,” “how,” and “what if” while reading. We should Summarize and Paraphrase paragraphs or chapters in our own words to ensure we are understanding. Then we should relate the new information personally to our past experiences or prior knowledge and predict what will happen next. See if you can create a mental image or diagram of the concept described. Some might have to take notes, highlight key points, and write down any questions. Look for main ideas and scan for specific facts. When others only half-read a message, an email, or even a passage of Scripture, it is easy to feel frustrated, misunderstood, or dismissed. However, this experience is a good chance to pause and reflect on how I interact with God’s Word and how I extend grace to others. I am asking myself some questions—how do I read God’s messages? How do I read the Sabbath School lesson or even the Bible or other religious materials? Do I only half read the messages? What do I miss?
There are dangers of “Half-Reading”, especially the Bible. Just as a half-read message can lead to misunderstanding, reading only portions of the Bible can result in an incomplete, or even distorted, view of God’s character and commands. The Bible is a living, cohesive continued story. Skipping the context can make a verse seem irrelevant or confusing, while studying it as a whole reveals the “big story” of salvation. We have Deceitful Hearts: Sometimes we “half-read” or cherry-pick verses that make us feel comfortable, avoiding the challenging parts that allow us to grow. When someone misses the point of my message because they didn’t read it all with just a half-read, it is an opportunity for me to practice the grace of patience. People are often busy, distracted, or overwhelmed. In Acts 17:11, the Bereans were praised for checking the scriptures to see if what they heard was true. We need patience and deeper digging rather than reacting in frustration. Even when I only read a verse or two or only half of a text message or maybe fail to understand the full depth of a verse in the Bible, the Word of God is still living, active, and powerful. Sometimes God’s word is like bread, feeding us immediately; other times, it is like a seed verse that is planted to grow later. We can trust that the Holy Spirit can bring understanding to a reader at the right moment, even if they didn’t appreciate it at first glance or only get half the message. Lord, thank You that Your Word is living and active, even when our attention is fragmented. Help me to show patience to those who misinterpret or only partially understand. Give me a hunger to read the full story of Your love, rather than just the parts that fit my agenda. May I hide Your Word in my heart, allowing it to change me completely. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130 (ESV)
And then there is this advice for me, maybe you! When I “half-read” a message—whether it is a text from a friend or a chapter of Scripture—we aren’t just missing information; we are risking a fractured connection. True hearing is an act of love and worship that requires our whole heart, not just a glancing eye. Reading only half the message often leads us to fill in the gaps with our own assumptions. In our relationships, this causes misunderstandings, as we “listen to reply” rather than “listen to understand”. The Bible calls this foolish. It is described as folly: “Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish” (Proverbs 18:13). When we treat the Bible this way, the consequences are even deeper. Plucking verses out of context can give a distorted view of God, the King of the whole story. Just as a body cannot thrive on half-meals, a soul that only grazes on “easy” verses faces spiritual starvation, losing strength and endurance and biblical appetite. There is often danger when I or others read only what makes us feel good, ignoring the parts that convict us of sin or that call us to sacrifice. We were given two ears and one mouth for a reason—to be “quick to listen” and “slow to speak” (James 1:19). Where am I only “half-reading”? Ultimately, misquoting, misusing, half-reading, and misapplying Scripture causes me to miss out on the full meaning of God’s Word. As I diligently seek the Lord through Scripture, He sends me His Holy Spirit to help me understand what I read. That same Spirit teaches me how and when to apply the concepts. I must always seek to grasp the fullness of God’s story instead of getting only half the story.
Try not to only read what you believe. Instead believe what you’re biblically reading. Don’t read what you think it says. Believe what you are actually reading. Instead of assuming the worst about people or a situation, we are called to bring our assumptions to God and trust Him to reveal truth, avoiding premature judgment. Lord, forgive me for the pride of thinking I know best. I surrender my assumptions about my life, my future, and others. I trust that You know, and that is enough.
Scripture lessons: Proverbs 3:5-7: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes…”. Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things you do not know”. 1 Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known”.
There is Danger in Assuming We Know. It is a hard lesson to learn but….
It creates division in relationships: We often assume others have the same sinful motives we recognize in our own hearts. By “mind-reading,” we may judge someone’s intent based on their method, but it will lead to unnecessary hurt and distance.
It hinders spiritual growth: When we think we already know a truth, our minds become closed to the work of the Holy Spirit. Satan often uses the thought “I already know that” to prevent us from hearing what we truly need to hear for ultimate freedom.
Why are we so quick to make negative assumptions of others’ motives? I did some reading and I think there could be several reasons: We recognize our own heart’s sinful
motives, and we assume others have the same motives that we do. But sometimes people do have evil motives—to harm us and do damage. We may pridefully believe that we are discerning people and can clearly see what is “obviously” going on in someone’s heart. We fear others instead of loving them. Fear may protectively assume the worst, dwell on hurts, and recount offenses. 1 Corinthians 13:7 tells us that love believes all things; that is, love chooses to believe the best about other people rather than assuming the worst whenever possible.
Assuming is addressed by God in His Word and instructs, “Therefore, do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God” (1 Cor. 4:5). Assumptions often control what we think we know about the things which we encounter. Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are wrong. It is kind of like the wise man/foolish man story. We need to be careful that we don’t make an assumption that seems more important than truth. Faulty assumptions about what we should expect can set us up for problems when these assumptions are not met. We may feel that prophets, the scriptures, or that God has failed rather than recognizing that we have built a house of beliefs on the sandy ground of mistaken assumptions. If we build our beliefs with the strong firm words of prophets, personal revelation, and study and judgement, we will build an even stronger foundation that should weather storms of weariness, apathy, or emotional exhaustion regarding faith, often characterized by a loss of passion, questioning of beliefs, and a perceived distance from God.
Lord Jesus, please give me a ready mind. Enable me to hear You clearly and easily. Help me to say, “Yes, Lord,” no matter what Your Spirit has to say to me. I want to have a ready mind that pleases You in everything. I ask this in Your name.
Proverbs 3:5-10—-Message Bible Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best.
Don’t assume that you know!