Not So Fast

A woman once invited several friends over to her home for a steak dinner. When she opened a can of mushrooms, she noticed a slight scum on top. Since the guests were expected to arrive shortly, the lady decided to give their dog a little taste, and if he ate it, she could assume the mushrooms were alright. Well, the dog gladly ate them and wanted more, so she felt safe to serve them with the meal.

After the guests had eaten and were visiting, the hostess’ little boy entered the room crying saying, “Mommy, our dog is dead!” There was no time to lose. There was only one thing to do. The hostess drove her guests to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped.

Sometime after things settled, the mother asked her son where their dog was. He replied, “He’s alongside the road next to where the car hit him.”

This short story reminds us of the dangers we face when we jump to conclusions. I’m sure we’ve all done it. I’m also sure we’ve been wrong when we’ve done it. So next time you’re tempted to jump to a conclusion, pass judgment without sufficient evidence, or assume you know a person’s motives, think again!

Steve Higginbotham