On Assumptions

I have learned that making assumptions can really get you in trouble. In my professional setting I was talking to a patient who was sitting next to a woman that appeared to be 20-30 years older than him. I assumed it was his mother.

Everything would have been okay, if I had just kept that assumption to myself. Instead I felt so certain about my assumption’s validity, that I acted on it.

Me: After we are finished with the procedure I will come out and talk to your mother to let you know how it went.

Paitent: How are you going to talk to my mom?

Me: Well, I walk out to the waiting room, I find your mother and then I talk to her. You know, with my lips.

Patient: You don’t know what she looks like.

Me: Of course I do, she is sitting right there.

Lady sitting next to the patient: I’m not his mother, I’m his wife you idiot.

Me: Ha ha. That’s a good one. You are clearly not his wife. You look way too old.

Lady sitting next to the patient: Seriously?

I find that I make assumptions about many things. I assume that I am funny. I assume that people understand exactly what I mean regardless of how confusing my words are. I assume that other people don’t like raisins either. I assume that I told my wife about the important dinner for work and that we need a baby sitter. I assume that I will never back out of the garage in the new van before the door has been able to open all the way on our way to a Super Bowl party.

Assumptions occur in church and with God as well. I used to assume (and perhaps still do) that I have it all figured out when it comes to theology, God, and church.  I would see issues in black and white and would not allow for gray areas. I would assume that there was something incredibly wrong with people who did not see it exactly the same way as me. I would then act like a jerk.

I do not have assume how much it is going to cost to fix the garage door.  The repair man came by, and I asked him, and then he told me with a smile on his face.

Have you ever made an assumption that resulted in an embarrassing situation?