Have you ever made a wrong assumption of someone or something that led to a riot? Acts 21-22

Acts 21:29
For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

Acts 21:38
Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"

Assumption is the root of many evil acts.   In Luke 2:44 we have the story of Mary and Joseph returning home after visiting Jerusalem with young Jesus.   It states that they "supposed" he was in the caravan, when, indeed, he wasn't.   Luke tells us that they had "assumed" this for so long that they actually traveled a full days journey, not knowing this entire time that Jesus was still in the Temple, teaching the Scribes and Pharisees ... as a young boy.   That "assumption" would have been written about in the papers and broadcast on the news cycle if it were to happen today.   When we assume something we can go a long way in the wrong direction.   This is the point of what Dr. Luke gives us in the above passages.   Paul was sent to the Temple by the Apostles and church leaders in Jerusalem for the sole purpose of showing them that Paul was not opposed to the Old Testament Law.   Surprisingly, Paul agrees to this act of appeasement (way out of Paul's character) and while he is there, doing what others think best for his life, the Jewish leaders see him and, by chance (God IS IN control), they saw him, in the Temple with Trophimus.   Apparently, Trophimus was a convert from Ephesus and Ephesus was noted for Greeks who worshiped the sex god, Diana.   Although Trophimus was a believer (strike one against him in the Jews eyes), he was, more importantly, a Greek (strike two).   We aren't told if Paul actually brought Trophimus into the temple, or not.  It seems highly unlikely as Paul would have been highly aware that this would set the Jews off in a violent manner.   It seems more likely that the Jewish pack did what the Spirit of God tells us: They saw Trophimus and assumed Paul brought him into the Temple.   This assumption yields to Paul being mobbed and beaten, until, of course, the centurion Guard assigned to that location came running to stop the riot.   But, because he saw Paul being beaten by these "fine, upstanding Jewish leaders (who we can believe had take well care of this centurion), he too assumed the worse:  Paul must be that Egyptian who stirred up a revolt in the past.  Paul attempts to clarify all this mixed-up knowledge, but to no avail.   Instead of clarification of the issues, these circumstances, based upon assumption, are used by God to get Paul arrested and eventually sent to Rome ... the very place Paul had asked God to send him.  Paul had desired to go to Rome many times but was often hindered (Romans 1:13).   Now Paul was about to head to Rome, but through the prison system of the state government.   God could have sent Paul to Rome on a red carpet.   Instead, He sends him in chains.    The prophet Agabus had prophesied this very thing a few verses earlier in this chapter (Acts 21:10).   God uses these false assumptions to get His work done.  We often are victims of false assumptions about us.    Even though they are wrong, God often uses them to accomplish work in our lives.   At times, we also have false assumptions about others.  We make plans and work those plans based upon false assumptions.    When the Roman centurion heard that Paul was a Roman citizen all the guards backed away from Paul and the centurion began to be worried that he had put Paul in chains ... all based upon an assumption.   Who do we put into chains in our minds, simply based upon an assumption.    God can use our false assumptions to accomplish His will.  But, He would rather we treat others without these assumptions and suppositions.