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How can we also make seriously wrong first judgments about matters in our lives, as this woman did about the shepherd breaking a sheep's leg? |
- A woman, vacationing in Switzerland, visited a mountain shepherd's sheepfold. Off to one side, lying on a pile of straw, was one sheep that appeared to be suffering from pain.
- "What is wrong with that sheep?" she asked the shepherd, pointing to the suffering animal.
- "Its leg was broken," he answered.
- "Poor thing. How did that happen?"
- "I broke it," the shepherd replied.
- "How could you be so cruel?" the lady responded in anger, feeling yet more sympathy for the suffering sheep.
- "Madam, I will explain. Of all my sheep, this was the most stubborn. It continually went its own way instead of following the safe paths upon which I was leading the flock. Several times it came into perilous situations, upon cliffs where it could no longer turn around, and near dangerous canyons. Other sheep often followed it and ended in similar dangerous places. After calling and punishing it several times, it still would not listen. I knew then, that I had to break its leg. "
- "I still don't understand," replied the lady. "How does breaking its leg help? Doesn't it hate you for doing that? "
