As Peyton Manning was winning his second Super Bowl, the cameras panned his family. A grim-faced Eli Manning, who quarterbacks for the New York Giants, just got his record (two Super Bowls) equaled. The media speculated wildly: He was mad that his brother and rival tied him. He was no longer the favored child. Etc. and nauseating etc.
It turns out the wild imaginations were all projecting their own evil thoughts on poor Eli. Yes, he had a grim face, but not because he had a rivalry with his brother. He was thinking, he came forward to clear up the record, about strategy. What would the Broncos do next to guarantee the win? Deep in playroom cogitations, he didn’t show on his face the rejoicing of the rest of the family.
No, you’re not “hearing” the Holy Spirit guessing what a brother or sister is thinking. If you suspect evil in his heart, maybe it’s your own evil. Maybe, if YOU had that face it would be because of some bad thoughts. But maybe the other person not so.
Pentecostal Christians make a mess of church ministry by confusing psychological projection with Holy Spirit thinking. Don’t pay attention to the face. Just preach the word and love people. Don’t judge them based on their face.
Mustard Seed Budget 
Amazing blog! So true, so uplifting. Thank you…as always! It’s not just Pentecostal Christians who get things wrong by judging faces instead of hearts and not stopping long enough to look deeply enough. And…it’s not just Christians either!
The young boy expresses passionate Joy GRATEFUL and THANKFUL for talent in his family so rejoicing!!!
“Pentecostal Christians make a mess of church ministry by confusing psychological projection with Holy Spirit thinking.”
I appreciate how you looked at this biblically with the reality that if we think with wild speculations of others sinfully, it’s wrong and not from the Spirit. Thanks.
I saw the game and was surprised by the look. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I know he’s not very expressive in the first place. Great to know “the rest of the story!”
I was recently at the Opryland Gaylord hotel for an Expo. The decided majority of the staff is Middle Eastern. I chatted up one of the bartenders in the exhibit hall and commented on the staff ethnicity. He said they all settled here, following each other. There is a 30,000 person Coptic Christian Community in Nashville, and a lot came to work at the Gaylord. Not too different from you and your friends all working at the same restaurant or whatever in high school.
1st reaction at the hotel? Suspicion. Reaction to the reality? Joy! Zero points for me on this round. Maybe next time I’ll get it right the first time!