Ogres Have Layers

I love this scene from Shrek.  It shows Shrek trying to explain to Donkey that Ogres aren't what he thought they were.  They have inner lives, and reasons of their own.  He says that Ogres are like onions.    

People are like onions, too.  We all have layers, and reasons, and there are layers that are buried so deep we may not be able to see them, ourselves.  There is no way to know what another person is thinking, or to understand their motives.  We are all a combination of all of our thoughts and experiences, and what might seem logical to one person will be nothing but confusion to another. I was having a discussion on Facebook (really!) this week about sin and judgement.  I don't believe we are to judge others.  We have no idea where they are coming from.  Even those who are closest to us are a mystery.  I can't pretend to even understand the thoughts and motives of my own children.  We can hope to gain understanding by talking, but we may never agree, because our actions will always come from our own heart.  And no one knows the heart but God.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (MSG)

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful,

    a puzzle that no one can figure out.

But I, God, search the heart

    and examine the mind.

I get to the heart of the human.

    I get to the root of things.

I treat them as they really are,

    not as they pretend to be."

We do pretend.  Even to ourselves.  We don't always know why we do things.  And until we can be completely truthful with ourselves, it will be hard to be truthful with others.  So many times we judge others based on our own lives and experiences, rather than theirs.  We cannot really know where they are coming from!  

Don't judge!  Don't assume!  Don't let yourself be hurt by the actions of others, especially when you don't really know why they are doing them!  Life is too short, and eternity is too long.

Families are broken.  Friendships are broken.  Churches are broken.  Marriages are broken.  Countries are broken.  All because of misunderstanding and mistrust.  Let it stop!  Being right is not worth being alone.  We can't really know what is right, anyway.  God knows.  Lean on Him.  Talk to Him.  Cry to Him.

Psalm 18

King James Version (KJV)

1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.