Expectations

I don't know about you but I am constantly engaging in expectations. For myself, of others, great expectations and small expectations. When we expect things we are often setting ourselves up to be disappointed. There's no getting around it. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the urge that most of us have to control things. We are very good at recognizing controlling behavior that others engage in. Not so much ourselves when we engage in the same practices.

But control is the house that fear built. When we choose to live in it we are making fear our landlord and our rent? It's paid in the currency of expectations. Those that we have of our spouses, our children, our parents, our friends and even our co-workers.  When they do what WE expect we are pleased. When they don't do as WE expect then we get upset. I don't know about you but I'm beginning to believe that life is random enough without expectations.

I'd rather traffic in hopes. True hopes lead to faith, and faith is the house that love built. Hopes are innocent and, just as important, they leave the ultimate decision of how things will turn out either in the hands of those we hope for or the God we pray to.

In this way we see others as the wonderful, fragmented, unpredictable people that they are. Which is to say we see them very much as I imagine that God sees us.