How often have you looked at someone you know and thought this.
“They have it all together.”
“They have the perfect life”
“Their marriage is fabulous.”
Sometimes it could be true. It is doubtful, but it could be true. No one is perfect, has it all together, has the perfect life, marriage and children. It just is the fact of the matter.
Why do we believe this lie when we see others?
I remember when someone told me that they thought this of me. I laughed. Despite having always been frank about my failings, I somehow had showed perfection.
Yes, I was the mom that you saw in the store that you wondered why on earth she didn’t control her children better. I worked day and night to raise my kids to be obedient, but I didn’t want robots. I wanted them to think for themselves, be willing to test boundaries and ask questions. But sometimes I just wanted them to go take naps. Or sit in a cart too.
So, I would ask, who are we really judging when we see that perfect family? Are we judging them, or ourselves for not being able to live up to the ideal we have placed on ourselves?
What burdens are you placing on yourselves that you think others have put there, when in reality, most people never had that thought cross their mind?
Oh, there are judgmental people out there, I will give you that. But sometimes being able to not hear the judgment, means we have to stop putting our expectations to a level that no one is called to.
Give yourself grace.
Don’t compare yourself by others. They likely have messes you don’t even want to know about.