Have you ever noticed how much fun kids have jumping? It can be jumping in to a pool or jumping in a puddle; they like jumping on trampolines and jumping rope. They have to be told not to jump on the bed and the furniture. Jumping houses have become a favorite at backyard birthday parties. Yes, jumping seems to be a favorite pastime for kids.
Now, some adults seem to enjoy jumping as well but it’s a different kind of jumping. They like jumping to conclusions. This kind of jumping can be quite dangerous.
Without much background information and little research, snap judgements are made and conclusions are improperly drawn. Reputations can be ruined and discontentment can surface when we jump to the wrong conclusion.
The religious leaders of Jesus day jumped to the wrong conclusion about Him.
They had been waiting for the “coming Messiah”. It had been prophesied by their prophets for hundreds of years. They talked in their synagogues of His coming – would He deliver them from Roman oppression?
But when He came, they accused Him of blasphemy. They said He came from the wrong region of the country, that He had a devil because He could do miracles and that the Messiah wouldn’t associate with sinners who drank wine or had scandalous reputations. They jumped to the wrong conclusion.
“Later, Jesus and his disciples were having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and other sinners were also there. 11 Some Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?”
12 Jesus heard them and answered, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. 13 Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.’ I didn’t come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13 CEV
You know, I jumped to a few wrong conclusions about God’s love myself. I felt I had to be good enough to earn God’s love and if I messed up God would distance Himself from me. I felt my relationship with the Father was based on my good merit and didn’t understand His grace.
“But the gift that God was kind enough to give was very different from Adam’s sin. That one sin brought death to many others. Yet in an even greater way, Jesus Christ alone brought God’s gift of kindness to many people.
16 There is a lot of difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God’s gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17 Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has been so kind to us, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings.” Romans 5:15-17 CEV
I had jumped to the wrong conclusion. God is gracious, loving and kind. He is forgiving. He desires to have relationship with us.
Let’s all jump to the right conclusion – God is love; jump into relationship with Him, the conclusion will be acceptance and an abundant life in Him.