The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.
Proverbs 18:17
There is an episode of the BBC production of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small in which veterinarian James is bewildered by a client who refuses to let him put down his dying and suffering dog. When he expresses his bewilderment to his wife, Mrs. Herriot replies, (I'm paraphrasing.), "There must be an unknown factor. Don't you find that when someone behaves in a way that is unexplainable, there is an unknown factor?" In this case there was an unknown factor. The man's wife was ready to leave him, but when she discovered the dog was ill, she decided to postpone her leaving until he died. The husband's behavior seemed irrational until the unknown factor was discovered.
Mrs. Herriot's wisdom was that of Proverbs 18:17. Life is full of unknown factors and evaluating our neighbors can at times be a tricky business. Before we judge too harshly we need to remember that there is almost always another side to a story--almost always at least one unknown factor.
Amen! What an excellent post.
Posted by: Ruthanne | February 27, 2005 at 10:53 PM
Thanks I needed that.
Posted by: Alnot | February 28, 2005 at 01:02 AM
Great! thank you
Posted by: keith | February 28, 2005 at 03:45 AM
I know this one all to well.
I start to judge my neigbors on all sides of me in my neighborhood, then I need to stop and look at myself.
God Bless.
Anna
Posted by: weight | May 02, 2006 at 03:27 AM