Sometimes what we see is not necessarily what happened. What do you mean? You are in a hurry, not paying attention and you do not hold the door open for the person behind. You realize what happened, you stop, go back and apologize. The person calls you a name and says you should have been paying attention, with no give.

When we learn better, we are expected to do better. Many times I have heard the saying, “You know my heart” used just before we give our unabridged opinion to someone. This is used as a “get out of jail” ploy if you will. Rarely are we aware of another’s heart. We do not have the capacity to do so. After 52 years of marriage, we still miss read each other’s intentions.

It is hurtful because you tried to make it right. It does not feel good to be misunderstood or misjudged. And the closer we are to those we offend or those who offend us, the more painful it is. You might expect them to know your heart, but it was not captured.

We as humans will always make mistakes no matter how hard we try to do otherwise. Our “get out of jail card” has to always be in how we give others the benefit of the doubt. Tempering our words with kindness, thinking before we speak, and not being so ridged in our determinations to keep count.

The Bible agrees that God knows your heart. God said to Samuel that He sees not as man sees: “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

“He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteous he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.

Jeremiah said this of the human heart:” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jer.17:9).

Jesus said, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (Matt, 15:18-20).

That said, are we to give up on humankind? No, because he has not, and will not give up on us.