Let's Go Back to the Bible

There’s always another side

When hearing someone share one side of some incident or situation, it can be so easy to be drawn into their version of things and believe that is the only way of seeing things. It is so very critical when listening to someone at a time like that to remind yourself of two things.

First, there is a very good chance that YOU do NOT need to be hearing whatever is being said. There is a reason that God condemns slander (2 Tim. 3:3) and that He prescribes dealing with matters one-on-one (Matt. 18:15). It may be that you need to tell this person, “You don’t need to be telling this to me. You need to go and talk to that person directly.”

Second, there is a very good chance that there is another side to this story that you are not hearing and would change your perspective and your conclusions. There is a reason that God said, “The first one to plead his cause seems right,” and “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Prov. 18:17, 13). May God help us to be careful when others speak!