Judging Other People

A famous French novelist tells the story about a thrifty farmer on his way to market. He finds a little piece of string on the road and hurriedly puts it into his pocket just as a neighbor is passing by. Later that day a purse is reported lost near that same spot, and the police ask the farmer what he knows about it.

He knows nothing, of course. He tells the story about the piece of string, but the whole village laughs about it. No one will believe his story.... and now everyone is talking about what kind of bad person he is.

He begins to worry and loses a whole night's sleep. The next morning the purse is found lying empty alongside the road. The farmer triumphantly tells everyone about this news. But by now his name has been ruined and instead of believing him the villagers say that this is just a clever trick on his part by which he can keep the money in the purse.

With his good name gone, the farmer goes back home. He starts worrying, he gets sick and dies. As he is dying, he keeps repeating over and over again: "A piece of string.... only a piece of string."

Tongues killed that man. "The tongue, " says St James, "is evil and full of
deadly poison. A large forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame. The tongue
is just like that flame. It sets on fire Me entire course of our existence.
- Jas 3. 5)