Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Judge Gently + Two Frogs

JUDGE GENTLY
(click on the titles to view the original sites)

Pray don't find fault with the man who limps
or stumbles along the road,
unless you have worn the shoes he wears
or struggled beneath his load.
There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt,
thought hidden away from view,
or the burden he bears, placed on your back
might cause you to stumble too.
Don't sneer at the man who's down today
unless you have felt the blow
that cause his fall or felt the shame
that only the fallen know.
You may be strong, but still the blows
that were his if dealt to you,
in the selfsame way, at the selfsame time,
might cause you to stagger too.
Don't be too harsh with the man who sins
or pelt him with word or stone,
unless you are sure, yea, doubly sure,
that you have no sins of your own-
for you know perhaps if the tempter's voice
should whisper as softly to you
as it did to him when he went astray,
it might cause you to stumble too.




A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches two lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.

Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

Author Unknown

4 comments:

  1. Nice, very nice. Always love you mysterious poems where ever you get them from :)

    Indeed, a kind word here may mean alot to a person when they are in need. Likewise, a harsh word can break someone in their time of need.

    They says sticks and stone may break my bones but words won't hurt me. This is a lie...

    Do unto others as you be like to be done unto yourself...

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  2. Well, whenever I felt uninspired, I browsed the internet he he he...

    Yeah, that's true. Harsh words DO hurt.

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  3. I loved that froggie story! I have heard another one a while ago, let's see how much I remember:

    A frog fell into a vat of milk and found it was too slippery to get out. He swam and swam yelling for help and found none. He then tried jumping out again and swam and swam some more screaming for help. Again he jumped up to the edge, but this time when he landed the milk was firmer. He swam some more, and then found he could stand on it. Thus, he was now able to jump out.

    The moral had something to do with never giving up, by continuing to swim he had churned the milk into butter, and thus provided an escape.

    But this is so true, encouraging words can save the day. It's what keeps me blogging! If i had gotten any negativity I probably would have shut down immediately. But I hate that attitude where people tell others to give up on their dreams, on escape. It's doubting the human spirit, which is so strong.

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  4. Vic: Yeah, the froggie story's neat, eh? I was going to post something else but when I found the froggie story, I immediately changed my mind he he he...

    I LOVE your froggie story, too!!!

    Indeed we should keep going and never giving up!!! ;-D

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