Understanding Misunderstandings

The word Misunderstood is a situation in life where someone’s intentions, actions, or words are misrepresented.

Being misunderstood has led to some tradgic things in life.

Let me illustrate…

Illus: A woman came home late one night after work and quietly opens the door to her bedroom. When she turned the bedroom light on from under the end of the blanket, she saw four legs instead of just her husband's two.

She reaches for her husband’s golf club in the corner of the room and starts hitting the blanket as hard as she can, and you could hear the screaming in the next county.

• Once she's done, she is angry and exhausted, she goes to the kitchen.

• As she enters, she sees her husband there sitting in a chair reading the newspaper.

• He says, "Hi darling, your parents have come to visit us, so I let them stay in our bedroom. Did you say hello?"

Life is filled with all kinds of tragic misunderstandings.

Some are more tragic than others.

Illus: Sometimes our dogs misunderstand us.

For example, someone suggested these are some of the misunderstandings our pet dogs have...

• Getting up does NOT mean we are going for a walk

• Just because I'm eating, doesn't mean you can eat

Illus: But not only do we have misunderstandings with our spouse, pets, we also have them within the church.

Illus: A Pastor recently told his congregation that the church needed some extra money. He asked the people to consider donating a little more than usual in the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns in the service. After the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill in offering.

The Pastor was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation, and said he'd like to personally thank the person who placed the money in the plate. A very quiet, elderly, saintly looking lady all the way in the back shyly raised her hand. The pastor asked her to come to the front.

Slowly she made her way to the pastor. He told her how wonderful it was that she gave so much, and in thanks he asked her to pick out three hymns.

Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation. Pointing to the three most handsome men in the building, she said, "I'll take him and him and him."

Life is full of all kinds of misunderstandings in words and deeds.

But it does not matter how diplomatic we might be, people are going to MISUNDERSTAND US!

Sometimes we are misunderstood.

• Because someone wants to misunderstand us for an ulterior motive.

• Because of what we say

• Because of what we did not say

• Because of what we do

• Because of what we are wearing

• Because of whom we are with

• Because of the expression on our face

There are so many things we can do that will cause people to misunderstand us.

But take comfort in this, the Lord Jesus was the most misunderstood person to ever walk on this earth.

• Some purposely took what he said and tried to make something out of it

• Sometimes the crowd could not comprehend what he was saying

• Sometimes He was misunderstood for an ACTION HE MADE.

This is the situation in Luke 5:27-32, we read, “And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But the scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, they that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Notice, He was misunderstood for an action he took, they said, why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

They could not understand why He was associating with SINNERS AND REPUBLICANS.

Notice He replied to this misunderstanding by saying…

They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

This misunderstanding is still taking place today by God’s church in many cases.

He said. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

For example, many think the purpose of the church…

• Is a place of socializing