For those of you that enjoy hockey then you know it’s playoff time and I have another hockey story for you!  

My son Tyler (13 yrs. old) comes off the ice laughing and has a huge smile on his face. The first night of hockey tryouts was finished.   He then exclaims “it was so funny, Jason (named changed) told me he wasn’t going to lose his spot on the team to me, and I told him, ‘Oh yeah, well I’m coming for your spot, so you better watch out!’  It was so hilarious, then did you see how hard we battled all through the tryout?”

Me: “yeah, I did notice that.”

Before I had a moment to think about what I had just heard we ran into Jason’s dad and Tyler thought this was such a good story that he quickly fills Jason’s dad in on how he told his son that he was coming for his spot! 

Why was my child threatening to take another boy’s spot and kick him off the team when there are two OPEN spots that are available?  He didn’t need to kick anyone off to meet his goal!  


Racing through my mind were the many conversations we have had about ‘treating others as you would want to be treated’.  Then came the judgements and frustration as I thought about how prideful, uncaring and rude my son was being. 

Later I told him, “I don’t like that you threatened Jason and told him you are coming for his spot, that is not kind or even true, there are two open spots.  When you see him tonight you should say something like, ‘I’m coming for a spot, and it’ll be good to be teammates next year’.

That’s so much more encouraging, and I think what you said to him and his DAD was very rude.

Tyler looked at me with total confusion on his face and asked “Why would I do that?  That’s lame and not motivating at all.  When I told him I was coming for his spot he worked so much harder which gives him a better chance to be on the team.  Didn’t you see how hard we were battling?  It was awesome, what I said made us both play better…”  So in the end, he had treated others like he would want to be treated.

He who answers before he hears [the facts]—It is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:13 (AMP)

I have made judgments about people in my life only to later find out I was so wrong!  I’m beyond grateful that God does not judge like we do.  He cares about the intent of our hearts and I had to learn a little bit about “competitive 13 yr. old boy language”!  

When we assume or make judgments before we have the facts here are a few things that we can miss out on:

1) Do Not Learn the Truth                                                                                                                

10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna [the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward] and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. 11 But their report seemed to them like idle talk and nonsense, and they would not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping [at the small entrance] and looking in, he saw only the linen [a]wrappings; and he went away, wondering about what had happened.  Luke 24:10-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)  (Peter did not assume it was idle talk, he got up to check it out and learned the truth).

2)  Do Not Gain Understanding & Look Stupid A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding,  But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity]. Proverbs 18:2 Amplified Bible (AMP)  

3) Do Not Go to Heaven: you could miss out on salvation by assuming you are saved, when in fact you are not.

“Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’    Matthew 7:22-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)  Connect with us here if you have questions about salvation.

Ask the Lord to reveal to you if you have made any assumptions that need to be investigated in your life.  Ask; don’t assume.

Written by Jamie Shaver