Assumptions

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam and he was angry and beat her with his staff. The the Lord opened the donkey's mouth and she said to Balaam,"What have I done to make you beat me these three times?"

Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand I would kill you right now."

The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?"

"No," he said. Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes.... Numbers 22:27-31

It is interesting to note that Balaam appear to be in such a bad temper he does not even notice that not only is he talking to a donkey but that the donkey is talking to him!

In this case the donkey is wiser than the human. The donkey uses good sense. She asks him if she has had a pattern of this behavior. When people or animals do the unusual, this is a good question to ask. If the behavior is different, chances are there is a problem that needs to be solved that is originating outside of the person, or that person's control.

We often misunderstand the behaviors of others if they do not tell us what is happening and we do not ask. Assumptions are dangerous and are the source of a lot of unnecessary grief and anger. Have a heart and spare your heart.