WHAT THE IRAN EXPLOSION TAUGHT ME: 5 steps in making Godly assumptions

Written by Mike Burnard (Analyticel Strategist at dia-LOGOS)

On Saturday 26 April 2025, a massive explosion and fire rocked the Shahid Rajaei port in southern Iran, purportedly linked to a shipment of a chemical ingredient used to make missile propellant, killing at least 70 people and injuring over 1,200 others. The explosion occurred on the same day that Iran and the United States met in Oman for the third round of negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

Upon hearing the news, I immediately made an informed assumption that the negotiations had failed, and that Israel and America had finally carried out their threats to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. Just a day earlier, Mr. Trump had declared that if talks reached a deadlock, he would be “leading the pack” in attacking Iran. I had little doubt — considering the current geopolitical climate – that an attack seemed like the most logical assumption.

I was wrong.

Assumptions

Let’s be honest—at some point in life, we all venture into the dangerous territory of making assumptions. It’s an intrinsic part of being human. But, here’s the problem. Assumptions often snowball into speculation, which morphs into opinions and, before long, solidifies into convictions. These convictions then masquerade as absolute truth, leaving little room for alternative explanations. It’s astonishing how easily we believe everything we think and how easily we assume the worst from those we trust the least.

Assumptions, however, are not a new trend that emerged on social media. It is an age-old problem that even existed as far back as the time of King Solomon, around 970–931 BC. He wrote the following:

Ecclesiastes 10:13-20 (MSG) Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness; they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future. Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can’t even find their way home.

According to the wisest man that ever lived, foolish assumptions lead to wicked madness. It has a way of clouding our vision, preventing us from grasping the depth of grace, the divinity of Christ, and the redemptive mission He embodies. The real challenge, however, isn’t about eliminating assumptions altogether, but rather learning to cultivate Godly assumptions and liberate ourselves from the destructive cycle of foolish ones. Scripture offers numerous examples where misguided assumptions lead to chaos, distortion, and false interpretations.

The answer lies in a shift of perspective—by changing the lenses through which we look.

STEP ONE – Remove your POSITIONAL glasses and see God’s redemptive power. In John 9:1-3 we read how the disciples, those who by now should have understood the redemptive power of Christ, assumed that sin was the reason for the blindness of a man.

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. His disciples asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents’ sin?” Jesus answered, “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents’ sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him.

Our theological positions often shape the assumptions we make. Yet, this positional approach to Christianity can sometimes hinder us from fully embracing the boundless grace of God and His overarching purposes of redemption. Sometimes our theological positions of people, places and events can limit us in understanding those Kairos moments for God to reveal His redemptive power. Failing to do so will always lead to wrong assumptions and “wicked madness”.

Iran stands at a spiritual crossroads, and it is only by acknowledging God’s active presence among the people of Iran that we can begin to comprehend the depth of His redemptive power.

How will our positional convictions shape our assumptions? We pray that the explosion will be another opportunity that God’s power might be seen at work in Iran.

STEP TWO – Remove your POLITICAL glasses and see God’s sovereignty

Oh, how we love to love the people we love to love. And, in return, how love to hate the people whom we love to love, love to hate. We even build theologies around it. If we love Israel, we automatically stand against the Palestinians. They have never harmed us in any way, but the nation we love to love, love to hate them, and so should we. Make sense?

This is “wicked madness produced by foolish assumptions.”

The Boanerges brothers are classic examples of how NOT to respond from a political perspective. This was the occasion where James and John, two brothers to whom Jesus gave the nickname of being THE BOANERGES BROTHERS – sons of thunder, tried to defend the honour of Jesus in Luke 9:51. The two brothers were fiercely loyal. They took offence on behalf of Jesus, but were rebuked by the one who came to establish a culture of grace, not a religion of condemnation. Their loyalty became an obstacle, and what they thought to be a virtue was actually a vice.

In Luke 9, when the Samaritans did not welcome Jesus because he was heading for Jerusalem, James and John asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” Many followers of Christ echoed those exact sentiments over Gaza after the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 . “Lord, do you want us to call fire from heaven on Gaza? ”

“But Jesus turned and rebuked them.” (Verse 55)

How will our political convictions shape our assumptions? Assuming that God hates those whom we think he should hate can become the very stumbling block that we accuse others of. We need to take off our political glasses and behold a God who came to rescue those whom we seek to destroy. Jesus died as much for the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Hamas leaders in Gaza as He did for you and me. Assuming anything else nullifies the cross of redemption.

STEP THREE – Remove your glasses of PREJUDICE and see God’s all-inclusivity

No, Jesus is neither a Nazarene nor a Bethsaidian. He is neither for Israel nor against Israel. He doesn’t choose Zelenski above Putin, Trump above Biden, or Netanyahu above Hamas. He came for the ALL’s, the EVERYONE’s and the EVERYWHERE’s in the world.

In 1 Timothy 2:4, Paul reminds us that God desires “ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This verse implies that God’s will is that ALL people should be saved. Not SOME people, SOME of the time in SOME nations only. Jesus came to earth that ALL may be saved, everywhere – in Iran and Israel, in Palestine and America, the ANC, the DA, the EFF, the Democrats and the Republicans – ALL

Our assumptions are always driven by our prejudices. We will ALWAYS believe the worst first of those we fear, suspect or dislike. We are instinct-driven beings. When we hear about a farm murder in South Africa, our first assumption is that it is due to another ANC failure in one way or another. We never assume first that it could have been a family member. When we are proven wrong, we seldom stop to reconsider our default modes.

Probably the best worst example in scripture of assumptions driven by prejudice is Nathanael, a man described by Jesus himself as an “Israelite in whom there is no deceit””.

In John 1:43-51 we read how Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”. Nathanael had a response filled with prejudice “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” he asked.

Nathanael was from Bethsaida. He was raised in a religious culture where they saw themselves as one step above the rest and considered themselves spiritually superior to others, especially the Nazarenes. Nathanael was a deeply loyal and devoted follower of God, culturally and religiously. He prided himself on the fact that he possessed, upheld, and uncompromisingly proclaimed the truth of the Law. He was known as a man of integrity, described by Jesus himself as a model Jew.

Sounds like many modern-day Christians

Nonetheless, in all his zeal and righteousness, in all his achievements and spiritual accolades, Jesus exposed one toxic and incapacitating blind spot in his spiritual armour that he did not recognise himself: he lived in a Bethsaidian bubble of prejudice—a bubble shaped by a religious prejudice that caused spiritual pride, a self-righteous view of others and a debilitating dualism.

It is enormously humbling to know that we all carry our inner Nathanael into every conversation, every interaction, and every discussion. If you ask the question today; “can anything good come from Gaza?” or “can anything good come from Iran?” you suffer from your own Bathsaidian Syndrome. You need to take off your glasses and look through the all-inclusive lenses of a God who wants all to be saved.

How will our prejudices shape our assumptions? I have been to Iran several times. Iran is home to some of the most beautiful, friendly, kind, warm, and hospitable people on earth. YES, something great can come from Iran, from Gaza, from Lebanon and from Israel.

STEP FOUR – Remove your PERCEPTIONAL glasses and see God’s perspective

Where can we find a better example in scripture than Peter’s perception of loyalty and Jesus’s perspective of devotion?

In Matthew 16:21 Jesus told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, where he would suffer at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law. He also said that he would be killed, but that he would be raised to life on the third day (Matthew 16:21). Peter then takes Him aside and proclaims his loyalty, “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” The response of Jesus is not a word of gratitude for his unwavering loyalty but a firm rebuke for not comprehending the mind of God: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Another WOW! Amazing how Jesus had the ability to shatter the assumptions of His followers.

God is God. He is unfazed and ever-forgiving. He operates under a different set of rules. He came as an expression of grace. So, be careful how you, as a recipient of grace, respond from your safe and secure bubble. You might just evoke a rebuke from God by assuming your loyal support is a sign of loving devotion. All we need to do is be conduits of grace, not cul-de-sacs of mercy.

God’s perspective involves seeing the world, oneself, and others through a lens of eternal truth, love, and purpose. It goes beyond superficial observations and quick assumptions and seeks to understand the underlying reality and God’s plan for everything and everyone.

How will our perceptions shape our assumptions? Will we allow God’s perspective to changes both our view and our attitudes .

STEP FIVE – Remove your PIOUS glasses and see God’s compassion

One encounter in Scripture that describes God’s care and compassion best is the story of Bartimaeus: the blind, unclean, begging son of a blind, unclean, begging father.

The encounter in Mark 10 is a story of someone who needed help and cried out in anguish to the followers of Christ, only to be rebuked, reprimanded, and ignored. It is a lesson on how the physically blind exposed the spiritually blind. The picture painted in Mark 10:46-52 is a sad one. And in all honesty, if we have to paint a picture of the world today, it would probably not be much different:

“As Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So, they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him. The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’ ‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.”

The tragedy in Mark 10 is not about a man who could not see, but a pious, religious, and self-obsessed crowd who could not comprehend. Believers who followed Christ without imitating Him in His care for the broken and vulnerable. And we are in the crowds today, watching the people from Gaza next to the road, crying out to Jesus, Son of David, and showing no concern.

The one thing that the religious and the devout assumed on this solemn occasion was that Jesus would not care as much about Bartimaeus as He would about them. They despised this man who would draw His attention away from their sacred enjoyment and their religious duty. Someone like Bartimaeus – an inconvenient distraction on our journey with Christ – someone like a refugee, a starving child in Gaza, a homeless beggar rummaging through our garbage – all intruding on our pious duty of following Christ in the crowds.

How will our pious Christianity shape our assumptions? Hopefully not like the crowds, the disciples, the rebukers, or the followers of Jesus. They were so obsessed with their personal encounter with Jesus that they made no room for those whom Jesus actually came to help. Yes, read carefully, it is indeed possible to be so obsessed with God that we stop noticing the people in need. And let’s be brutally honest. If the beggar, the refugee, the homeless and the poor inconvenience us, then we are part of the crowds. If ever there was a reason for the disciples to have pity on someone, it was here. And they failed the test miserably.

In order to develop the virtue of helpfulness, we need to remove our glasses. In order to have an assumption-free view of the Middle East, Iran, Gaza, and Israel, we have to exchange our carnal perspectives for a new spirit-filled incarnational approach.