Obviously!

I caught myself having this thought process while watching a segment of Focus on the Family's Truth Project.  The group of people "from the street" who have been asked questions were discussing their histories, and I felt myself rationalizing their situations in an almost judgmental way.  I was convicted, so I began a journal entry which ended up turning into an essay of sorts to share here.

Obviously!

Analyzing away the Effects

One can analyze a situation and rationalize it away.  However, this doesn’t change the fact people were and are emotionally affected by it.

Too often I find myself doing this.  Saying “Well, of course that happened!  What did you/he/she/they expect?!”  I decide the effect—result—of this scenario is something those involved should have anticipated.  Obviously this would happen!  Most people, however, do not go into situations expecting a bad result, and any number of clichéd phrases could be said in reprimand of my incredulity: “you don’t know their circumstances,” “Hindsight is 20/20,” etc.  But, these statements, however applicable, do not really address the point: these people are feeling, suffering, affected by their situation. 

The same applies to an “Oh, I never would have guessed that! You mean to say…” regard for the reasons a person is the way he or she is—that these effects had a cause.  Unfortunately, my sarcasm about an apparently obvious realization of events does not help the facts.  A person is suffering.  He needs help, not dismissal for being “obvious.”  The obvious nature of a situation doesn’t change the reality.  I need to keep a godly perspective of those around me.  I need to see people as a heart and soul, not some physical machine in a natural world.

However obvious the situation seems, the person(s) involved ultimately need understanding, sympathy, and love.  Do some of them need to have the error of their ways made known to them?  Yes.  Do I need to be the one to point this out to them?  Perhaps, but it definitely does not follow that such a revelation ought to be made in a harsh, judgmental way.  My ultimate responsibility is not to judge—it is never to judge—but rather to be available to address the needs of a person.

Rationalization or a sarcastic “no, really” response doesn’t eliminate the affect on those involved in a situation.  No matter how analytical or rational a situation seems, people still feel emotional ramifications.  When people are hurt, they need to receive sympathy, not ridicule.