Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Bible in a Year Reading Plan: Lamentations 1-5 | 2 Corinthians 1
It’s easy to make assumptions about people.
If a neighbor is unusually quiet, we assume they’re tired. Someone pulls away mid-conversation, and we think they’re upset with us. When we notice a change in someone’s attitude, we immediately create a story in our minds about why they’re acting differently.
But what if we stopped assuming and started asking?
Philippians 2:4
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Taking an interest in someone requires more than simply being near them. Moving toward someone creates proximity, but asking questions creates connections. You can sit by someone every day and still never truly know what is happening inside their heart.
Curiosity communicates care. I call these “level two questions,” such as “How are you really doing?” or “What has been weighing on you lately?” These questions demonstrate: I see you. I have time for you. I care enough to know what’s happening beneath the surface.
How often do we decide we know what someone is thinking before we ever give them the opportunity to tell us? Jesus consistently looked beyond what was immediately visible. He saw people others overlooked. He asked questions; he listened. He entered into people’s stories rather than standing at a distance, deciding who they were.
We are called to do the same.
As Jesus' life demonstrates, people rarely need advice, an explanation, a solution, or a perfectly worded response when they are struggling. More often, they simply want someone who is willing to listen.
Curiosity means paying attention to what may be missing, broken, changing, or new in someone’s life. It means noticing when a normally joyful friend seems withdrawn. It means asking about the dreams and aspirations they mentioned months ago. It means remembering the difficult conversation they had and checking in afterward. Our curiosity frequently reveals that those initial assumptions are wrong.
Today, slow down enough to be genuinely interested in the people God has placed around you. Replace your assumptions with questions, and be willing to listen. Meaningful conversations rarely begin with having all of the answers, they begin with someone caring enough to ask “tell me more.”
Perhaps one of the simplest ways we can love like Jesus today is by not assuming we know someone’s story, but by caring enough to hear it.
Questions:
Who am I currently making assumptions about instead of taking the time to understand?
What might I discover if I became more curious about the people closest to me?
Is there someone whose recent change in behavior deserves a compassionate question rather than an assumption?
Next Steps:
During your interactions today, replace one assumption with a genuine question.
Remember the important answers someone tells you, and follow up with them later. This could mean celebrating an achievement with them, sending a comforting text on a challenging day, or following up to see how things are going.
Ask God to give you eyes to notice what others might miss and a heart willing to slow down and truly care.
21 Days of Prayer | Today’s Focus: For Our Neighbors
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we praise you for the gift of community and the joy of neighbors. We ask for your peace and protection over our neighborhood and every home in it. Even though our neighbors aren’t always easy to love, we ask for patience toward them anyway. We pray you would fill our streets with grace and mercy, and that you would teach us to love one another as you have loved us. We lift to you those who are sick, hurting, or lonely, and we ask for your healing and comfort in their lives. Lord, may our neighborhood be a place where your presence is known and your name is glorified. Help us be good neighbors who shine your love and light. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Series Theme Verse:
John 13:35
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Written by Heaven Nash, a regular contributor to the Daily Devotional.