I read through the message boards on some' mommy sites.' I use the boards as support system. Being a new mom is often confusing and sometimes scary; therefore, I read the message boards to try and get a sense of normalcy in my life. This is beside the point. My point is: I found the quote on the message boards. I have no idea who originally said it.
I can't recall having ever heard this quote before last week. If I have, it touched me in way that it has not in the past. I encourage you to think about it for a bit and let it really soak in a bit.
"Do not measure your insides by another person's outsides."*
This quote keeps coming back to me. It reminds me of my other favorite quote:
"Where you stand depends on where you sit."*
I heard this from my government teacher, Ms. Woolsy, in high school. I think the reason both of these quotes mean so much to me is complex. I'll do my best to explain briefly.
We spend so much time judging others. We also spend a lot of time judging ourselves by comparing ourselves to those that we wish to be like (or unlike). People are complex and our God is complex. The reasons people are-how-they-are or do-the-things-they-do is circumstantial. We don't know and can never know many of those circumstances. Therefore, it does not make sense to try and judge others' actions or behavior. You don't have all the evidence. Conversely, don't compare yourself to other people. Your circumstances are different and you cannot know their heart. And remember, looks can often be deceiving.
Who is the ONLY person that you know inside and out? YOU. That's the only person you need to worry about because that is the only person you can give a fair trial.
I have to remind myself of this daily.
I have one last thing to mention before I get off this soapbox: I recommend the book 'The Shack.' It hits on this from a Christian perspective and it really turned my world on its ear.
*If you know where either of these quotes originates, please enlighten me. I'd love to find out!
I have read the book "The Shack". I couldn't put it down ,it was so interesting. My friends Betty and Floella each gave me a copy. We asked each other for more input about it. The author makes ones mind search for reality. I plan to read it again this fall. Glad you have read it too. Thanks for the pictures. They are priceless.
ReplyDeletehttp://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/05/07/11-things-i-learned-in-high-school/
ReplyDeleteI googled the quote and found this but you may have already seen it.
I like the post. I gets you to thinking.
ReplyDelete