Some of you may recognize this quote from The Wizard of Oz, spoken of the charlatan controlling “The Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz” from behind the scenes.
I was reading this morning in Marriage Matters by Winston T. Smith and came across four ways we speak honestly, but without love. One of them is “mind reading” and I whimpered ouch! as I read. (The “Wizard” of Oz also “read” minds. I’m about as good at it as he was.) Mind reading, in the context of the book, is assuming the worst about your spouse despite what they’ve told you. I’m guilty. I’ve done this. I’ve been convinced that I know why Mike’s done something despite the words that are coming out of his mouth. And Mike is an honest guy!
According to Marriage Matters, mind reading has two bad effects in a marriage:
For one thing, mind reading tends to extinguish whatever good was motivating your spouse. . . . Second, mind reading destroys the heart of communication, the need to share information. If you already know what I’m thinking and why I’m doing what I’m doing, why should I bother to explain it to you? And if the results of all my efforts so far is that you believe the worst about me, why would I hazard offering more information?
Ooh, I repent of any further mind reading. Lord, help me recognize it the moment it begins. Even if it’s not thinking the worst, but simply putting words in Mike’s mouth, let me not stop our communication. Amen.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Eph. 4:15
Fearless 
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